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THE 
BAHAI  REVELATION 


By  THORNTON   CHASE 


"Judge  nothing  before  the  time  until  the  Lord 
come,  who  both  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness  and  will  make  manifest 
the  counsels  of  the  hearts ;  and  then  shall 
every  man  have  praise  of  God."  (/  Cor,  4:J.) 

"  For  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  the  glory 
of  his  Father  with  his  angels;  and  then  he 
shall  reward  every  man  according  to  his 
works."  (  MaU.  i6 :2y, ) 

"  He  hath  come  with  His  most  mighty  Power 
among  the  nations ;  turn  toward  Him,  O  con- 
course of  the  good  !  The  Father  hath  come 
and  that  which  hath  been  promised  unto  you 
in  the  Kingdom  is  accomplished." 

(Baha'o'^Uah.) 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  BAHAI  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY 
CHICAGO,  ILL.,  U.  S.  A. 


\'^- 


.S^^^  c^ 


Chicago.  1913 


CONTENTS. 

THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD. 

Page 

The  Great  Commandment    -----------  i 

Love's  Inspiration      --- __  i 

Man-made  Gods        ---_--_----_  i 

Qualities       ----------_-___  2 

The  Creational  Book     -----------  3 

Universal   Law      -------------  3 

The  Law  of  Love     ------------  4 

Man,   the   Chooser     ------------  § 

The  Word  of  God    -------------      8,   77 

The  Word  Incarnate      ----------      9,    78 

The  Word  Speaker        ---__--_---  10 

The  Love  of  God     ------------  n 

The  Wrath  of  Man  ------------  n 

The  Witness  of  Truth    --- 12 

Believing  in  Him      ---- -..  12 

Immortality        ------_-----__  13 

"Let  there  be  Light"     ---- --  14 

The  Gift  of  God      --------------  16 

Origins     ----------------  i5 

Moses'  Appointment       -----------  17 

Heavenly  Schoolmasters     ----------  ig 

The  Word  Alone      ------------  20 

The  Evidence  of  Christ     ----- 21 

Power  of  the   Word     ----- 22 

The   Divine  Proof     ------------  23 

The   Mighty   Names       -----------  23 

Succession  of  Divine  Revelations     --------  25 

Channels  of  Communication        --  25 

No  Dispensation  Final -----  26 

Signs  of  the  Times        ---- -_  26 

Passing  of  the  Old    ------------  ^7 

Darkness       ---------_-_._-  28 

The  Glory  of  God    ------------  29 

The  Fullness  of  Time    ------------  30 

Coming  of  the  New  ------------  30 

The  Light  of  the  Spirit     ----------  32 

Dangerous    Knowledges      ----------  33 

"As  Above — So   Below"     ------------  34 

Light        -    -    .  35 

Preparing  the  Way _-_--  35 

Unity  and  Peace --__.-  38 

3C07S2 


Page 

The  Golden  Age ___---  40 

School  Days     --------------  40 

The  Day  of  Fulfilment -----  41 

The   Burdens   of   Prophecy     ---------  42 

Isaiah  Eleven    --------------  42 

The  Age  of  Fear     ------------  43 

The  Age  of  Unity     ------------  44 

Dawn  of  the  Millennium -__-  45 

Millennial    Evidences __-  45 

The  Manhood  of  Man      -    - -    -    -  46 

HISTORY 

The  Bab      -----------------  51 

Baha'o'llah      ----------------  55 

Abdul-Baha    Abbas      -^.    ----------  59 

A  Statement  by  Mirza  Assad'u'Uah     ------  62 


TEACHINGS 

Baha's  Declaration      -------------  69 

The   Appointment      ------------  70 

The  Breeze  of  the  Spirit    ----------  70 

Words   of   BahaVllah     ------------  72 

Purification        --------------  ^2 

Detachment       --------------  72 

The   Tongue     --------------  73 

Kindness       ---------------  74 

Eyes,  Ears  and  Hearts      ----------  74 

Lighting  the  Lamp    ------------  75 

The  Ordinances  of  God     ----------  76 

The  Word  of  God      --------------  yy 

The  Word  Incarnate     -----------  78 

The   Spirit  of  Truth     -----------  79 

The  Supreme  Pen    --------------  81 

The  Day  of  Revealing     ------------  81 

Severance      ---------------  82 

Ideal   Light       --------------  83 

Declaration   of   God's   Singleness     --------  83 

Declaration  of  God's  Manifestations    -------  85 

Acknowledgment        ------------  87 

Sure    Paths ---------  87 

The  Purpose  of  Manifestation     ---------  90 

Instructions     ----------------  93 

Tablet  to  Badia     ----- -     -     -  98 

Tablet  to  Zia    -------------     -  99 


Page 
The  Hearts     ----------------    loo 

Victory     ----------------     102 

Knowledge        --------------     103 

Arts,  Crafts  and  Sciences    -----------104 

Occupations      --------- -104 

Religion        _-----_---_     105 

Education     -----------------     106 

Precepts        --------- --     107 

To  Christians      ---------------    109 

The  Ultimate  Criterion 115 

SALVATION 

"Ye  Must  Be  Born  Again'" -----119 

Spirit       --------- 119 

The  Dead     ---------------     120 

The   Living       - 121 

"What  Shall  I  Do  to  be  Saved?"    --------122 

Faith        ----------------123 

Knowledge        --------------     124 

Prayer      ----------------     124 

God's    Gifts      --------------     125 

Obedience     ---------------     126 

Confidence    --------- -     128 

The   Will     ---------------     128 

The    Talents      --------------     129 

The   Primary   School     -----------     130 

Man's   Spirit     ------- -131 

New  Birth       -----    131 


THE  BAHAI  REVELATION 

The  Bahai  Revelation  is  an  Invitation  to  Love  God    -  135 

The  Bahai  Revelation  is  an  Invitation  to  Obedience    -  137 

The  Alphabet  of  Love  is  Obedience    ------  138 

The  Bahai  Revelation  is  of  Authority    ------  140 

The  Bahai  Revelation  Teaches  the  Religion  of  Living  143 

This  Revelation  is  a  Call  to  Sacrifice    ------  145 

The  Bahai  Teaching  is  an  Invitation  to  Service    -    -  148 

Universal  Love ___--_--_  154 

The  Bahai  Revelation  is  Needed      --------  158 

The  Object  of  the  Bahai  Revelation  is  Unity    -    -    -  165 

The  Bahai  Revelation  Makes  All  Things  New    -    -    -  170 
The  Revelation  is   Complete  in  Itself    ------i75 

Tablet  from  Abdul-Baha'      -----------178 

Commune     -- __---.  180 


O  Earth,  Earth,  Earth,  Hear  the  Word  of  the 
Lord!     (Jer.  22.29.) 

Give  ear,  O  ye  Heavens,  and  I  will  speak;  and 
hear,  O  Earth,  the  Words  of  My  Mouth.  My 
Doctrine  shall  drop  as  the  rain,  My  Speech  shall 
distil  as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender 
herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass:  Because 
I  will  publish  the  Name  of  the  Lord;  Ascribe  ye 
Greatness  unto  our  God.     (Deut.  32.1-3.) 

Hear,  all  ye  People!  Hearken,  O  Earth,  and  all 
that  therein  is;  and  let  the  Lord  God  be  witness 
against  you,  the  Lord  from  His  Holy  Temple.  For, 
Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  out  of  His  Place!    (Micah 

1.2.) 

Hear,  O  Heavens,  and  give  ear  O  Earth:  for  the 
1.0RD  hath  spoken!     (Is.  1.2.) 

Is  not  My  Word  like  as  a  fire?  saith  the  Lord; 
and  like  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces? 
(Jer.  23.29.) 

The  Anointed  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  the  sweet 
psalmist  of  Israel,  said.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
spake  by  me,  and  His  Word  was  in  my  tongue.  (2 
Sam.  23.1.) 

*^ Man,  the  most  noble  and  perfect  of  the  creatures, 
is  a  mightier  evidence  and  greater  expression  (of 
truth)  than  the  other  visible  things.  The  most  per- 
feet,  superior  and  excellent  of  men  are  the  Manifesta- 
tions of  the  Sun  of  Truth/^     (Baha^o'llah.) 


*^The  Sun  of  Truth  is  the  Word  of  God,  upon 
which  depends  the  training  of  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try of  thought.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  Reality  and  the 
Water  of  Life.  All  things  owe  their  existence  to  it. 
Its  manifestation  is  ever  according  to  the  capacity  and 
coloring  of  the  mirror  through  which  it  may  reflect. 
For  example:  Its  light,  when  cast  on  the  mirrors  of 
the  wise,  gives  expression  to  wisdom;  when  reflected 
from  the  minds  of  artists  it  produces  manifestations 
of  new  and  beautiful  arts;  when  it  shines  through 
the  minds  of  students  it  reveals  knowledge  and 
unfolds  mysteries. 

*^All  things  of  the  world  arise  through  man  and 
are  manifest  in  him,  through  whom  they  find  life  and 
development;  and  man  is  dependent  for  his  (Spirit- 
ual) existence  upon  the  Sun  of  the  Word  of  God. 
All  the  good  names  and  lofty  qualities  are  of  the 
Word.  The  Word  is  the  Fire  of  God,  which,  glow- 
ing in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  burns  away  all  things 
that  are  not  of  God.     The  minds  of  the  lovers  are 

ever  aflame  with   this  fire    Outwardly  it 

is  a  burning  fire,  but  inwardly  it  is  calm  light.  This 
is  the  Water  which  giveth  life  to  all  things. 

^We  beg  of  God  that  we  may  partake  of  this 
Life-giving  Water  of  Heaven  and  quaf  from  the 
Spiritual  Chalice  of  rest,  and  thus  be  free  from  all 
that  tends  to  withhold  us  from  approaching  His 
Love.  Glory  be  upon  the  people  of  Glory!''  (Words 
of  Wisdom.    Baha^o'llah.) 


*^The  Word  of  God  is  the  storehouse  of  all  good, 
all  power  and  all  wisdom.  The  illiterate  fishers  and 
savage  Arabs  were  thereby  enabled  to  solve  such 
problems  as  were  puzzles  to  eminent  learned  men  in 
all  the  ages.  It  awakens  within  us  that  brilliant  in- 
tuition  which  makes  us  independent  of  all  tuition  and 
endows  us  with  an  all-embracing  power  of  spiritual 
understanding. 

^^Many  a  soul  in  the  ark  of  philosophy,  after 
fruitless  struggles,  was  drowned  in  the  sea  of  con- 
flicting theories  of  cause  and  effect,  while  those  on 
board  the  craft  of  simplicity  reached  the  shore  of 
the  Universal  Cause  by  the  aid  of  favorable  winds 
blowing  from  the  Point  of  Divine  Knowledge. 

'When  man  is  associated  with  that  transcendent 
Power  emanating  from  the  Word  of  God,  the  tree 
of  his  being  becomes  so  well  rooted  in  the  soil  of 
assurance  that  it  laughs  at  the  violent  hurricanes  of 
skepticism  which  attempt  its  eradication.  For  this 
association  of  the  part  with  the  Whole  endows  him 
with  the  Whole,  and  this  unison  of  the  particular 
with  the  Universal  makes  him  all  in  alL'^  (Abdul- 
Baha.') 


INTRODLCTION 

The  claim  of  the  Bahai  (Glorious)  Revelation  is 
that  it  is  the  Word  of  God  sent  to  men  to  remove 
the  antagonism  and  differences  between  peoples  of 
various  religions  and  prepare  the  way  for  their  com- 
ing together  in  harmony  and  love  and  in  an  assured 
knowledge  of  the  Will  of  God.  It  proclaims  the 
time  of  Universal  Peace  and  provides  the  founda- 
tion for  the  Universal  Religion — the  hope  of  the 
ages.  It  points  the  way  and  supplies  the  means  for 
the  unity  of  mankind  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
Truth  under  the  high  banners  oi  Justice  and  Mercy. 

It  is  >simple,  profound,  purifying,  searching,  as  is 
the  Word  of  God  always.  It  is  divine  in  origin, 
human  in  presentation,  sane,  practical  and  applicable 
to  life  in  its  every  phase.  In  belief,  it  inculcates 
naught  but  truth;  in  action,  naught  but  good;  in 
human  relations,  naught  but  loving  service. 

A  world-religion  is  needed,  a  solvent  of  religious 
differences,  an  enlightener  of  religious  misconceptions, 
an  unifier  of  peoples  in  the  knowledge  of  the  One 
God  and  Father  of  them  all,  a  platform  on  which 
all  believers  and  seekers  for  God  and  His  truth 
may  meet,  from  whatever  race  or  training  they  may 

[5] 


1/ 


come.  And  that  religion  must  recognize  the  divine 
elements  which  underlie  all  religions  and  meet  each 
loyal  soul  upon  his  own  ground  without  claiming  ad- 
vantage over  him,  but  rather  bringing  the  light  of 
God's  Word  to  shine  upon  the  truths  he  already  has, 
in  order  that  he  may  develop  into  a  higher  under- 
standing of  Truth  itself. 

The  honored  scholar  and  noble  man.  Max  MuUer, 
who  had  frankly  studied  the  languages  and  religions 
of  the  Orient,  wrote  as  follows: 

**The  true  religion  of  the  future  will  be  the  ful- 
filment of  all  the  religions  of  the  past,  the  true  religion 
of  humanity,  that  which  in  the  struggle  of  history 
remains  as  the  indestructible  portion  of  all  the  so- 
called  religions  of  mankind.  There  never  was  a 
false  God,  nor  was  there  ever  a  false  religion,  unless 
you  call  a  child  a  false  man.  All  religions,  as  far  as 
I  know  them,  had  the  same  purpose;  all  were  links 
in  a  chain  which  connects  heaven  and  earth,  and 
which  is  held  and  always  was  held  by  One  and  the 
Same  Hand.  All  here  on  earth  tends  towards  right, 
truth  and  perfection;  nothing  here  on  earth  can  ever 
be  quite  right,  quite  true,  quite  perfect — ^not  even 
Christianity — or  what  is  now  called  Christianity,  so 
long  as  it  excludes  other  religions,  instead  of  loving 
and  embracing  what  is  good  in  each." 

That  **true  religion  of  the  future,"  as  Max  Mul- 
ler  saw  it,  has  already  arrived  in  the  Bahai  Revela- 
tion; but  where  else  is  such  a  religion?  With  all 
the  glorious  efforts  and  results  of  Christian  mission- 

[H] 


ary  enterprise  during  the  recent  decades,  It  has  scarcely 
made  an  Impress  on  Moslems,  Zoroastrlans,  Budd- 
hists, Brahmans  or  Jews.  It  has  endeavored  to  over- 
throw the  religious  conceptions  of  other  nations  In 
favor  of  Its  own,  but  It  has  taught  the  Interpretations 
of  Its  churches  rather  than  the  direct,  simple  teach- 
ings of  Jesus,  placing  the  word  of  man  In  lieu  of  the 
Word  of  God,  and  therefore  It  has  been  powerless  to 
win  those  peoples  who  believe  that  they  have  also 
received  the  Divine  Word  from  their  own  prophets 
and  founders. 

It  Is  possible  that  the  records  of  Jesus'  words  are 
quite  Imperfect,  but,  even  so,  they  have  brought  com- 
fort, hope  and  satisfaction  to  myriads  of  human  souls, 
and  If  only  his  pure  teachings  had  been  presented, 
with  their  doctrines  exemplified  in  the  lives  of  the 
teachers,  the  whole  world  might  have  received  them 
and  loved  them;  but  the  peoples  will  not  accept  the 
teachings  of  a  **cult''  and  Its  doctors  as  against  their 
own  cults  and  doctrines.  It  Is  necessary  for  the  con- 
quering of  the  heart  of  the  world  that  the  Word 
of  Jesus  shall  be  renewed  and  confirmed  by  a  fresh 
revelation  of  God's  Command,  one  that  comes  with 
declared  authority  and  proves  Its  Right  and  Source 
by  Its  vitalizing  effect  upon  the  lives  of  men. 

There  Is  no  religion  that  has  remained  pure  and 
undefiled,  and  consequently  there  Is  none  of  them  fit- 
ted or  capable  to  cause  the  nations  to  abandon  their 
own  religion  to  accept  it.  The  known  condition  of 
the  world's  religions  Is  such  that  not  one  of  them 

[  Hi  ] 


can  subdue  or  amalgamate  the  others.  Time  and 
efforts  only  emphasize  this  fact.  What  then?  Shall 
the  Word  of  God,  proclaimed  through  so  many  of 
his  prophets  and  messengers,  be  for  naught?  Or 
shall  the  promise  of  His  appearing  to  the  world  with 
power,  and  the  consequent  union,  happiness,  know- 
ledge, peace  and  prosperity  of  mankind  be  accom- 
plished? The  precedent  to  universal  peace,  which  is 
the  **millennium"  promised  in  all  scriptures,  is  the 
conscious  knowledge  of  the  One  God,  of  His  Mes- 
senger and  His  Message  to  men. 

The  Bahai  teaching  is  that  God's  Word  faileth 
not,  that  it  is  accurate  and  reliable,  that  the  time  of 
its  promises  is  at  hand  and  that  His  Word,  now  pro- 
claimed to  the  whole  world  in  Baha^o'llah  (The 
Glory  of  God),  is  powerful  and  able  to  achieve  His 
Will  in  the  regeneration  and  union  of  mankind.  **It 
is  not  a  new  religion,  but  Religion  renewed."  Where- 
ever  it  has  proceeded  it  has  produced  the  results  fore- 
told of  the  ^'end  of  the  age"  and  also  declared  by  it- 
self. It  proclaims  the  immanence  of  God  and  His  pres- 
ence with  humanity;  it  penetrates  men's  hearts  and 
shows  them  their  need  of  God  and  the  way  to  find  sat- 
isfaction for  that  need;  it  does  remove  religious 
differences  and  dispel  religious  rancor  and  doubt; 
it  does  bring  men  into  the  heart  knowledge  and  con- 
sciousness of  the  Love  of  God  and  into  loving  unity 
with  each  other,  without  regard  to  race  or  former  re- 
ligion; it  inculcates  divine  morals,  ethics  and  charac- 
teristics  and   brings  man   to   higher   conceptions   of 

[  iv  ] 


duty  and  life  than  have  been  his  heritage  from  the 
churches  of  various  creeds. 

It  speaks  with  authority,  demanding  that  man  shall 
obey  the  Word,  and  naught  but  joy  and  uplifting  is 
found  in  that  obedience.  It  calls  on  man  to  test  its 
worth  by  living  its  Ordinances,  and  those  laws  prove 
to  be  the  very  wine  of  Life.  It  comes  not  to  destroy 
but  to  fulfil  again  that  which  has  been  fulfilled  before 
and  to  complete  that  which  has  not  been  completed 
in  the  past.  It  offers  itself  as  the  Truth  of  God  to 
every  earnest  soul;  its  followers  are  already  numbered 
by  the  millions  and  are  of  all  the  great  religious  na- 
tions. If  it  be  truth,  wise  is  he  who  accepts  it;  if 
not — surely  duty  demands  that  it  be  tested  and  its 
fallacy  proved  lest  men  be  led  astray.  It  is  but  just 
to  say  that  it  is  a  very  **live  wire"  and  he  who  touches 
it  must  be  prepared  to  receive  in  himself  a  powerful 
current  of  its  ^^electricity." 

The  truth  of  any  religion  can  be  proved  and  con- 
firmed only  by  the  heart,  by  testing  its  tenets  in  the 
life.  The  Bahai  Revelation  is  unshaken  in  the  arena 
of  intellect,  but  powers  of  reasoning  cannot  make 
final  decision  concerning  spiritual  truth.  One  may 
read  or  hear  it  for  a  lifetime,  may  listen  to  opinions 
or  express  them  endlessly,  but  no  judgment  is  just,  no 
opinion  reliable  except  that  of  the  personal  living  and 
decision  of  the  heart.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  philosoph- 
ical reasoning,  but  a  question  of  fact,  and  facts  are 
demonstrable  only  by  experience. 

Abdul-Baha  was  asked,  'What  is  the  truth?"   He 

[v] 


replied,  **Truth  is  the  Word  of  God,  which  gives  life 
to  humanity.  It  restores  sight  to  the  blind  and  hear- 
ing to  the  deaf;  it  makes  eloquent  those  who  are  dumb, 
and  living  beings  out  of  dead  beings;  it  illuminates 
the  world  of  the  heart  and  soul;  it  reduces  to  nothing- 
ness the  iniquities  of  the  neglectful  and  erring  ones. 
Beauty,  perfection,  brilliancy  and  spirituality  of  this 
existence  come  from  or  through  the  Word  of  God. 
For  all  it  is  the  supreme  goal,  the  greatest  desire,  the 
cause  of  life,  light,  instruction.  The  road  to  attain 
to  this  Truth  is  the  Love  of  God.  When  the  light 
of  the  Love  of  God  is  burning  in  the  mirror  of  the 
heart,  that  flame  shows  the  way  and  guides  to  the 
Kingdom  of  the  Word  of  God. 

**As  to  that  which  causes  the  growth  of  the  love  of 
God,  know  that  it  is  to  turn  one's  self  toward  God." 


[vi] 


The  Glory  of  the  Lord 


^^Hear,  O  Israel:  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord: 
And  thou  shah  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  might. 
And  these  words,  which  I  command  thee  this  day, 
shall  he  in  thine  heart:  And  thou  shalt  teach  them 
diligently  unto  thy  children,  and  shalt  talk  of  them 
when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  and  when  thou 
walkest  by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down,  and 
when  thou  risest  up.  And  thou  shalt  hind  them 
for  a  sign  upon  thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  as 
frontlets  between  thine  eyes.  And  thou  shalt  write 
them  upon  the  posts  of  thy  house  and  on  thy  gates  J* 
(Moses.  Deut.   6.4-9.) 

It  IS  related  that  a  certain  scribe  asked  of  Jesus: 
'Which  is  the  first  commandment  of  all?*'  Jesus 
answered  him,  *'The  first  of  all  the  commandments 
is,  Hear,  O  Israel;  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord: 
And  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind, 
and  with  all  thy  strength:  this  is  the  first  command- 
ment. And  the  second  is  like,  namely  this.  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  There  is  none 
other  commandment  greater  than  these  J'  (Mark 
12.29-31.) 


THE  GREAT  COMMANDMENT. 

The  first  and  greatest  command-  Love's 
ment,  that  of  love,  is  recorded  alike  by  Inspiration 
Moses  and  Jesus,  but  how  shall  it  be 
obeyed?  Love  is  attraction;  it  cannot  be  forced  or 
commanded;  it  must  be  drawn  forth  by  the  lovable. 
The  will  may  direct  love's  attention  toward  an  object 
but  can  never  compel  its  action.  The  desirability  of 
the  object,  the  longing  for  nearness  and  union  with 
it,  these  are  the  inspirers  of  love.  How  can  man  love 
God,  the  Infinite,  whom  no  one  hath  seen  ?  No  man 
can  comprehend  God  or  know  him  as  he  is.  How  can 
his  whole  being,  heart,  soul,  mind  and  strength,  be 
devoted  to  the  love  of  the  Unknown,  the  Unseen? 
With  all  his  striving  and  searching  man  cannot  find 
out  God.  He  can  manufacture  a  god 
of  his  imagination,     a    creature  of  his      ^an-made 

•  •  11  -r     1         n  ^°^S 

superstition,  usually  a  magnined  reflec- 
tion of  himself  possessing  both  his  good  and  bad 
qualities,  but  the  gods  of  man's  making  are  not  worth 
his  love  and  devotion;  how  then  shall  he  obey  the 
great  commandment? 

Although  some  knowledge  of  the  Beloved  is  neces- 
sary for  love,  docs  the  keeping  of  the  command  re- 


v.  ip.         -  -      W-      ,       .«|^ 

qmre  u^.'to  klio-\v:Jiim'as  he  is  In  his  Essence,  his  Pre* 
existence,  in  order  to  love  him?  Man  loves  many 
things,  but  knows  not  the  essence  of  anything.  At 
the  most,  he  perceives  only  some  of  the  desirable 
qualities  manifested  and  he  loves  either  the  qualities 
or,  because  of  them,  their  unknown  essences.  If  it 
be  some  precious  jewel,  he  admires  the  brilliancy, 
luster,  hardness,  beauty  of  the  gem — Its  revealed 
quahties;  if  it  be  a  flower,  it  is  the  freshness,  the 
forms  of  petals  and  stamens,  the  colors,  harmony  and 

fragrance,  which  attract  him;  or  if  a  hu- 
Qualities  man  being,  the  human  qualities,  strength, 

knowledge,  power  and  ability,  or  weak- 
ness, sweetness,  delicacy,  refinement  and  grace  draw 
forth  his  love.  Yet  In  no  case  does  he  comprehend 
the  reality  which  Is  hidden  beneath  these  evident  and 
attractive  displays.  They  are  veils  of  beauty,  hiding 
their  parent,  essence,  while  revealing  some  of  its 
attributes.  If  we  cannot  penetrate  through  the  yel- 
lowness, density  and  qualities  of  a  piece  of  gold  to 
know  what  gold  Is,  how  shall  we  expect  to  sound  the 
depths  of  firmaments,  the  magnitudes  of  space  or  mys- 
teries of  littleness  to  find  out  God  and  know  what 
God  Is? 

The  commands  of  the  Almighty  are  not  sent  forth 
In  vain.  Although  man  cannot  lift  himself  above  him- 
self to  the  heavens  of  knowledge  of  the  Infinite  One, 
God  can  reveal  to  him  that  Information  of  his  beauty 
which  shall  cause  him  to  be  In  man's  sight  **The  One 
altogether  lovely."     He,  who  has  placed  In  us  the 


power    to    perceive    qualities    and    values,    discloses 
enough  of  his  lovable  characteristics  to  draw  to  him- 
self all  the  love  of  our  beings.     In  every  atom  he 
unfolds  his   attributes — in   sun,   star   and  moon — in 
dawn,    sunset   and    night — in    storm    and   shine — in 
crystal,  flower  and  animal — and  above  all  in  man,  the 
microcosm,  the  index  of  existence.     The         ^pj^^ 
whole    apparent    universe    is    a    great     Creational 
'^Creational  Book,''  a  concourse  of  mir-        Book 
rors  displaying  his  qualities.     All  mankind  attempts 
to  read  this  book,  but  what  each  finds  depends  on  his 
point  of  view  which  has  been  formed  by  previous 
training  and  environment.    Even  in  reading  a  printed 
book,  in  listening  to  music  or  in  viewing  a  work  of 
art,  no  two  persons  see  alike;  their  perceptions  are 
according  to  their  education.     So  with  the  book  of 
creation — the  ignorant  see  only  the  powers  manifest- 
ed in  nature  and  cringe  before  them,  while  the  more 
advanced  in  knowledge  appreciate  order,  beauty,  wis- 
dom and  other  delightful  values  therein.   In  the  spirit- 
ual childhood  of  man  he  stands  in  wonder  and  awe 
before  that  book,  staring  at  its  pages,  unable  to  in- 
terpret them  aright — until  he  has  learned  how  to  read. 
Each  step  of  life  is  the  result  of  education.     In 
the  alphabet  of  living,  man  learns  that  all  existence  is 
subject  to  law.     The  universe  displays 
order  and  harmony  in  every  part;  the     Umversal 
suns  and  planets,  each  element  and  or- 
ganization   in    the    mineral,    vegetable    and    animal 
worlds,  all  are  governed  by  inflexible  law ;  nothing  is 


exempt.  Therefore  Law  is  universal  and  expresses  it- 
self in  various  definite,  reliable  actions,  severally  called 
laws — such  as  those  of  attraction,  vibration,  inertia, 
construction  (as  in  crystal,  plant  and  animal),  laws 
of  cycles,  of  ascent  and  descent,  summer  and  winter, 
life  and  death,  centripetal  and  centrifugal  laws,  etc. 

This  one  great  law  of  the  universe  keeps  everything 
in  its  place.  It  binds  the  particles  of  rock  together; 
it  causes  things  to  fall  toward  the  earth's  center  in- 
stead of  flying  off  into  space;  it  holds  the  suns,  moons 
and  planets  perfectly  in  their  orbits;  it  causes  like  to 
seek  like,  and  it  produces  harmony  among  all  material 
things,  so  that  each. fulfils  its  purpose  in  existence. 
Whatever  we  may  call  it,  cohesion,  gravi- 
The  Law  tation,  motion  or  force,  it  is  in  reality  the 
Law  of  Love.  It  is  co-eternal  with  ex- 
istence; it  is  the  Immanence  of  God,  the  expression 
of  the  Creator  in  creation. 

If  this  Love  of  God  is  so  manifest  In  the  kingdoms 
of  matter,  how  much  more  must  It  be  toward  his 
higher  creature  man !  The  very  lowest  and  most  igno- 
rant of  men  Is  far  higher  In  the  scale  of  existence  than 
minerals,  vegetables  or  animals.  **If  God  so  clothe 
the  grass  of  the  field,  which  today  Is,  and  tomorrow  is 
cast  Into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe  you, 
O  ye  of  little  faith." 

God  Is  Love,  always  was  Love,  always  will  be  Love. 
He  has  always  loved  man.  We  cannot  conceive  of  any 
time  that  God's  love  has  not  been  shown  to  him.  All 
nature  says  to  man:     **God  so  loves  you  that  he  has 


made  me  to  serve  you  and  to  provide  for  your  needs. 
Lo,  here  I  am!  Do  with  me  as  you  will.'*  Food 
and  drink,  clothing  and  shelter,  flowers  and  colors, 
beauty,  order,  variety,  harmony  and  unity,  all  things 
for  the  welfare  and  delight  of  man !  If  the  generous 
Father  so  provides  for  material  and  mental  needs, 
how  much  more  must  his  Providence  care  for  the  spir- 
itual necessities! 

All  things  are  related  to  other  things  in  a  fixed  man- 
ner; nothing  is  independent  or  self-subsistent  but  all 
are  under  the  over-ruling  law  which  expresses  itself 
in  each  according  to  its  needs  and  for  its  highest  de- 
velopment. Even  the  laws  of  decay  and  disintegra- 
tion are  for  an  evolution  to  higher  uses,  as  the  rock 
must  be  ground  to  dust  before  its  nobler  values  may 
appear  in  the  rose  and  grape.  Man  sees  these  laws 
of  physical  life  working  and  expressing  in  all  below 
and  around  him,  even  in  his  own  body  and  mind ;  he 
also  perceives  that  knowledge  enables  him  to  grow  in 
wisdom  and  power.  As  the  government  of  each  king- 
dom is  such  that  it  promotes  its  best  condition,  so  must 
there  not  be  laws  for  man,  which  shall  direct  him  to 
his  highest  possible  destiny?  The  same  divine  Wis- 
dom, which  cares  for  the  lily  and  the  grass  of  the 
field  to  bring  them  to  their  fulness  of  use  and  beauty, 
must  surely  provide  for  the  exaltation  of  humanity  to 
its  perfection,  and  this  is  above  and  beyond  the  realm 
of  ordinary  human  faculties. 

There  is  a  marked  and  vital  difference  between  man 
and   the  kingdoms   below   him.      They    are    sinless, 


knowing  neither  right  nor  wrong,  unconsciously  living 
the  laws  of  their  existence,  which  are  expressed  in 
them,  not  to  them.  These  laws  are  expressed  also  in 
man,  and  to  him  because  he  is  the  only  being  who  has 
the  power  to  oppose  nature  and  to  select  among  her 
laws  which  he  will  serve.  Man  is  endowed  with  God- 
like qualities,  powers  of  discrimination  and  judgment, 
perceptions  of  values — of  worth  and  unworth  and  a 
free  will  to  decide  between  them.     He  has  eaten  of 

the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil 
^"'       ^       and  can  choose  either  as  he  will.    These 

superior  faculties  make  him  an  intelli- 
gent, choosing,  responsible  creature,  responsible  to 
himself  for  his  attainment  or  loss.  Therefore  the 
generous,  loving  Law-maker  offers  to  him  a  clear 
knowledge  of  the  laws  of  progress  toward  his  great- 
est good,  in  order  that  man  may  perceive,  learn,  obey 
and  become,  as  it  were,  a  conscious  partner  with  Him 
in  the  attainment  of  a  Life  Eternal,  a  nearness  and 
intimacy  with  the  Divine  Wisdom  and  Love,  which 
shall  exalt  him  into  the  heavenly  condition  of  **one- 
ness  with  God." 

*'Man  is  said  to  he  the  greatest  representative  of 
God,  and  he  is  the  ^Book  of  Creation'  because  all  the 
mysteries  of  being  exist  in  him.  If  he  comes  under 
the  shadow  of  the  True  Educator  and  is  highly 
trained  J  he  becomes  the  essence  of  essences,  the  light 
of  lights,  the  spirit  of  spirits;  he  becomes  the  center 
of  the  divine  appearances,  the  source  of  spiritual  quaU 


ities,  the  rising-place  of  heavenly  lights,  and  the  re- 
ceptacle of  divine  inspirations.^'  ( Abdul-Baha.'  **Some 
Answered  Questions."     p.  273.) 

The  great  Law,  which  enables  man  to  understand 
the  way  of  Life  and  to  walk  therein,  Is  the  revealed 
Word  or  expression  on  the  human  plane  of  the  Will 
of  God  for  the  welfare  of  man.  It  Is  the  Book  of 
books,  the  Law  of  laws,  which  reveals  to  man  the 
hidden  facts  of  being  and  teaches  him  how  to  know 
and  love  God  and  also  how  to  understand  the  les- 
sons printed  on  the  pages  of  the  universe.  It  appeals 
to  his  heart.  Is  studied  and  Interpreted  there,  because 
it  is  expressed  In  terms  of  life.  It  comes  forth  from 
the  Arcana  of  the  heavens  as  the  highest  Manifes- 
tation of  Truth,  the  greatest  Message  to  promote  the 
advancement  and  happiness  of  man,  to  guide  and 
light  him  in  the  **RIght  Path."  It  is  the  Word  of  God. 


THE    WORD   OF    GOD. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Logos,  the  Word,  appears 
throughout  all  scriptures  and  it  is  concretely  stated 
in  the  first  Chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John. 

^^In  the  beginning  was  the  Wordy  and  the  Word 
was  With  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same 
was  in  the  beginning  with  God, 

**All  things  were  made  by  him  (through  The 
Word)  ;  and  without  him  was  not  anything  made 
that  was  made, 

^^In  him  (The  Word)  was  life;  and  the  life  was 
the  light  of  men, 

^^And  the  light  (The  Word)  shineth  in  darkness 
(of  Ignorance)  ;  and  the  darkness  comprehended  it 
notr 

^^And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  (liter- 
ally, tabernacled  or  pitched  his  tent)  among  us,  (and 
we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten 
of  the  Father,)  full  of  grace  and  truth,^'  ^'For  the 
law  was  given  by  Moses,  grace  and  truth  came  by 
Jesus  Christ.^' 

What  was  that  gloi7  but  the  manifested  Word  of 
the  Will  of  God,  shining  forth  in  words  of  light  and 
illustrated  in  the  holy,  selfless  life  of  the  Perfect  Man, 
all  aflame  with  the  Divine  Spirit  of  God! 


8 


''No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the  only  be- 
gotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he 
(The  Incarnate  Word)  hath  declared  him  J* 

Man,  **made  after  his  image/'  is  the  highest  ex- 
pression of  God  in  the  world  of  being.  When  the 
Invisible  Word,  the  creative  power  of  God,  becomes 
revealed  through  a  prepared  Man  and 

is    transmuted    through    him    into    the      ^^^  Word 
,  .  ^^r      1    .    .     .  -,  Incarnate 

spoken  or  written  Word,  it  is  incarnated, 
**made  flesh,''  and  is  visible  to  man  because  it  has  de- 
scended into  his  plane  of  existence.  When  the  same 
**Hidden  Word"  enters  into  the  One  fitted  to  receive 
it  and  becomes  the  sole  light  and  power  of  his  life, 
it  is  **incarnate,"  revealing  itself  through  the  temple 
of  his  body,  from  which  its  glory  radiates  in  every 
word  and  deed.  That  body  is  the  throne  on  which 
It  is  seated  and  from  which  its  proclamations  are 
given.  The  human  instrument  of  revelation,  being 
then  identified  with  the  Word — which  is  the  mani- 
fested Spirit  of  God — is  also  called  The  Word  or 
Manifestation,  because  He  is  the  personification  of 
that  Word  to  mankind. 

''The  Spirit  and  the  Word  mean  the  divine  per- 
fections  that  appeared  in  the  Reality  of  Christ  J* 
"The  Holy  Reality  of  the  Word  of  God  is  in  the 
condition  of  the  pure,  fine  and  shining  mirror;  the 
heat,  the  light,  the  image  and  likeness,  that  is  to  say, 
the  perfections  of  the  Sun  of  Reality  appear  in  it. 
That  is  why  Christ  says  in  the  Gospel:    The  Father 


9    . 


is  in  the  Son;  that  is  to  say,  the  Sun  of  Reality  ap- 
pears in  the  mirror/*  (Abdul-Baha.'  '*Some  An- 
wered  Questions''  p.  240.) 

Man  is  the  word-speaker.  He  is  taught  by  words; 
he  communicates  his  ideas,  wishes  and  will,  by  words ; 
his  accomplishments  on  earth  result  from  his  words; 
he  trains  the  most  subtle  powers  to  carry  his  words 
to  the  end  of  the  world;  he  records  them  on  stone, 
wax,  parchment  and  paper  that  future  generations 
may  not  utterly  forget  him.     All  this  Is 

-,^    ,  ^^        that  man  may  understand  God's  method 

speaker  ,       . 

of  communicating  his  Will  and  may  re- 
ceive the  teaching  of  his  higher  attributes  by  means 
of  the  uttered  Word. 

In  order  that  it  may  reach  man  it  is  revealed 
through  human  mouth-pieces.  ^^God  hath  spoken  by 
the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  be- 
gan^  (Acts  3.  21 :  Lu.  i.  70),  and  when  the  time 
arrived  for  the  coming  to  birth  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God  among  men,  the  Incarnate  Word  was  called  his 
**Only  begotten,"  his  **Son"— ''For  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  ga^e  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believed  on  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life  J*     (John  3.  16.) 

What  wonderful,  what  beautiful  teaching!  God 
was  not  angry  with  mankind,  as  some  have  taught. 
How  could  they  teach  so  with  these  words  flaming 
before  their  eyes?  Was  not  the  whole  burden  of 
Jesus'  teaching — Love,  the  love  of  the  Father?    And 


10 


that  man  should  love  God  and  love  man,  his  neigh- 
bor? How  could  man  love  an  angry 
God,  a  wrathful  monarch?  No !  God  so  ^^^  ^^^^ 
loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  the  Incarnate  Word,  that  whosoever 
accepted  him — **believed  in  him" — should  have  ever- 
lasting life. 

That  representative  of  Divine  Love,  whose  whole 
life  was  love,  was  not  "given"  to  suffer  anguish  in  the 
place  of  man,  tD  be  rejected,  scorned  and  crucified, 
to  bear  the  deserved  punishment  of  men's  sins  and 
thus  placate  an  offended  father.  Truly 
he  suffered  all  these  things  because  of  The  Wrath 
the  sms  or  men,  but  it  was  through  the 
wrath  of  man,  not  of  God,  his  Father.  '^God  sent 
not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  he  saved/*  (9  -27 
3.17.)  He  never  condemned  the  poor,  ignorant  sin- 
ers,  '^blind  from  their  birth."  He  said  to  them,  ''Go 
and  sin  no  more,"  and  in  the  very  depth  of  degrada- 
tion and  suffering  poured  upon  him,  he  cried,  "Father 
forgive  them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  His 
fatal  and  awful  condemnations  were  only  for  the 
mighty,  the  "learned,"  the  false  guides,  the  "blind 
leaders  of  the  blind,"  the  priestly  revilers  of  the  Word 
of  God.  It  is  related  that  the  people 
pressed  upon  him  to  hear  the  Word  of  ^,  Truth^^ 
God  (Lu.  5.  I.)  because,  ''Man  doth 
not  live  by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 


II 


ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  doth  man  live/^ 
(Deut.  8.3;  Matt.  4.4;  Lu.  4.4.)  He  said:  ''To 
this  end  was  I  horn,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into 
the  world,  that  I  should  bear  zvitness  unto  the  truth. 
Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice/^ 

What  is  meant  by  believing  In  him  If  it  be  not  to 
believe  the  Word  he  spoke,  the  Word  of  the  Father 
poured  forth  from  his  blessed  lips  for  the  uplifting 
of  men  and  to  bring  all  who  believed  In  him  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God,  new  born,  new  crea- 
Beheving         tuTts,  sons    of    God    and    heirs    to  the 

in     Him  1        •  1  .  r         ^  rr'  r 

glorious  bounties  or  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  ?  To  believe  on  him  meant  also  to  recognize 
him  as  the  Messenger  and  Son  of  the  Most  High, 
and  that  belief  followed  the  acceptance  of  his  Word. 

The  Word  of  God  Is  the  key  to  Immortality.  It 
is  the  bearer  of  Eternal  Life.  It  is  the  Instructor 
in  knowledge  of  God,  that  man  may  know  and  love 
him,  may  become  his  son,  be  one  with  him  as  the  Iron 
with  the  magnet  and  be  heir  to  his  Kingdom,  ''being 
born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incor- 
ruptible, by  the  Word  of  God,  which  liveth  and 
abideth  forever  J*     (i.  Peter  1.23.) 

When  the  Iron  is  in  the  fire  it  loses  Its  hard,  black, 
cold  qualities;  being  filled  with  the  fire  it  becomes 

soft,  fluent,  glowing  and  fiery.  It  can 
Immortality     say,  '*I  am  one  with  the  fire,  I  in  the 

fire,  and  the  fire  In  me,  I  and  the  fire  are 
one!''     Thus  is  man  who  Is  born  of  the  Spirit;  he  is 


12 


a  "new  creature,"  transformed  because  transmuted 
by  the  elixir  of  the  Word,  which  changes  the  copper 
of  his  nature  into  the  pure  gold  of  another  and  loftier 
state  known  as  *^Eternal  Life"  or  ^^Immortality,"  a 
condition  of  oneness  with  the  Spirit  of  God  and  son- 
ship  to  Him. 

This  is  the  true  image  or  likeness  of  God.  ^^ Behold 
what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon 
us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God/'  '^Be- 
loved, now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not 
yet  appear  what  we  shall  be:  but  we  know  that  when 
he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him;  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is  J'  (i.  John,  3.2.)  This  resurrection 
from  a  lower  to  a  higher  station,  this  new  birth,  re- 
joices the  Psalmist  when  he  exclaims,  *^As  for  me  I 
will  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness:  I  shall  be  satis- 
fied, when  I  awake,  with  thy  likeness/'     (Ps.  17.15.) 

This  is  immortality — not  merely  continued  exist- 
ence (even  the  satans  have  that),  but  an  eternal  one- 
ness with  Life  itself,  the  True  One,  '*whom  to  know 
is  life  eternal."  Jesus  said:  ^^This  is  the  will  of  my 
Father,  that  every  one  that  beholdeth  the  Son,  and  be- 
lieveth  on  him,  should  have  eternal  life/'  (John 
6.40.)  ^^The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are 
spirit  and  they  are  life/'  (John  6.63.)  Such  state- 
ments fill  the  New  Testament  and  are  in  accord  with 
the  divine  teachings  of  all  time,  viz:  that  the  Word 
of  God  is  the  giver  of  light,  the  teacher  and  guide  of 


13 


men  to  eternal  life,  the  creator  of  new  hearts  and 
right  spirits,  the  revelation  of  God. 

In  Genesis,  the  book  of  creation,  it  is  written :  ^^In 
the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth. 
And  the  earth  was  without  form  and  void;  and  dark- 
ness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep. 
T^^L^M'"  ^^^  ^^^  spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the 
face  of  the  waters.  And  God  said  (The 
Word),  Let  there  he  light;  and  there  was  light/'  It 
is  the  same  story — not  necessarily  an  account  of  the 
creation  of  physical  light,  but  rather  of  the  real  crea- 
tion which  occurs  to  every  man  in  whom  a  new  heart 
is  created  and  a  right  spirit  renewed.  He  is  dead  in 
ignorance  and  chaos;  darkness  is  upon  the  face  of  his 
soul,  until  the  Word  of  God  enters  into  him  and  says: 
"Be  light!"  Then  comes  a  dawning,  an  awakening, 
a  day-spring,  a  resurrection  within  him.  He  is  re- 
created, born  again,  begotten  of  the  Spirit,  a  son  of 
God.  It  is  always  accomplished  by  the  Word  '*  'Be !' 
— and  it  is." 

^^By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens 
made!^  (Ps.  33.6.)  His  heavens  are  also  created  in 
the  hearts  of  those  who  love  and  serve  him.  ''The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  within  you."  This  recognition 
of  the  Word  and  perception  of  Light  is  the  first  step 
man  takes  toward  the  divine  destiny,  the  heavenly 
manhood,  which  God  his  Father  has  made  possible 
for  him,  and  to  which  he  invites  him  in  each  one  of 
his  supreme  commands.     ^^God  is  the  Lord  who  hath 


14 


showed  us  lightJ*  (Ps.  118.27.)  ^^The  entrance  of 
thy  words  giveth  light;  it  giveth  understanding  unto 
the  simple.''  (Ps.  119.  130.)  ''Thy  word  is  a 
lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  path!'  (Ps. 
119.  105.)  ''hOy  all  these  things  worketh  God  often- 
times with  man,  to  bring  back  his  soul  from  the  pit, 
to  be  enlightened  with  the  light  of  the  living."  (Job. 
33.  29.)  ''And  the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light !^     (Rev.  21.  34.) 


15 


THE  GIFT  OF  GOD. 

**God  loved  the  world" — not  only  the  Jews  at 
Jerusalem,  but  all  mankind;  not  only  at  the  time  of 
Jesus  but  before  and  since.  Always,  **since  the  world 
began"  he  has  given  his  Word  to  all  men,  at  all  times, 
in  so  far  as  they  were  able  to  receive  it.  Whence 
came  the  wonderful  instructions  for  life  in  the  ancient 
writings  of  Enoch,  Moses,  David  and  the  Psalmists, 
in  the  Vedas,  the  Avesta,  the  Gathas  and  Upanishads, 

in  Isaiah  and  Lao  Tse?  Were  they  of 
Origins     human   or   divine  manufacture?     They 

were  always  higher  than  the  imagina- 
tions of  men,  and  they  were  opposed  to  his  natural 
desires.  When  their  inner  significances  and  realities 
are  perceived,  the  oneness  of  their  essentials  is  so 
evident  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  originated 
from  a  single  source.  They  all  had  their  origins 
in  the  Word  of  God,  which  in  its  essence  is  the  same 
today,  yesterday  and  forever.  There  is  but  One  God ; 
His  Word  is  ever  one  and  the  same.  That  which  Is 
different  is  not  His  Word. 

Each  of  the  great  religions  bases  its  teaching,  faith, 
loyalty  and  existence  upon  confidence  in  the  word  of 
a  single  human  founder.  Each  points  back  to  him  as 
the  reliable  one,  the  superlative  one,  the  infallible 
one.    But  no  word  is  infallible  save  that  of  God,  and 


i6 


if  those  great  ones  were  truly  reliable,  their  word 
must  have  been  the  Word  of  God.  The  expression 
of  that  Word  through  such  prepared  human  Instru- 
ments has  always  been  the  method  whereby  man  has 
learned  the  Will  of  God  for  his  own  life.  They  were 
the  **mouths"  of  the  Lord. 

That  the  Almighty  God  chooses  a  man  to  be  his 
representative  and  his  mouthpiece  Is  shown  In  the 
Interesting  account,  related  In  Exodus  3  and  4,  of 
his  appointment  of  Moses  to  be  the  Deliverer  of  his 
people  Israel.  After  God  called  to  him  out  of  the 
burning  bush  and  told  him  that  he  was  the  God  of 
his  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  He  said:  '7 
will  send  thee  unto  Pharaoh,  that  thou  mayest  bring 
forth  my  people  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  J* 
(God  Is  always  trying  to  bring  his  children  out  of 
the  Egypt  of  darkness  and  Ignorance.) 

But  Moses  did  not  seek  such  an  appointment;  he 
dreaded  it  and  tried  to  escape  It,  although  he  de- 
sired to  serve  God.  ^^And  Moses  said  unto  God, 
Who  am  I,  that  I  should  go  unto  Phar-  Moses* 

aoh,  and  that  I  should  bring  forth  the  Appoint- 
children  of  Israel  out  of  Egyptf   Then  "^^"^ 

God  gave  his  mighty  Name— '7  AM  THAT  I  AM: 
and  he  said,  Thou  shalt  say  unto  the  children  of 
Israel,  I  AM  hath  sent  me  unto  you!^  He  also  gave 
further  instructions  to  Moses  to  tell  the  people  how 
God  had  appeared  unto  him  and  given  these  com- 
mands. 


17 


*^And  Moses  answered  and  said.  But,  behold,  they 
will  not  believe  me,  nor  hearken  unto  my  voice:  for 
they  will  say.  The  Lord  hath  not  sent  thee^  Then 
the  Lord  showed  him  how  to  manifest  signs  of  pow- 
er by  the  symbols  of  the  rod  and  of  the  right  hand, 
but  still  ^^Moses  said  unto  the  LoRD^  O  my  Lord,  I 
am  not  eloquent,  neither  heretofore  nor  since  thou 
hast  spoken  unto  thy  servant,  but  I  am  slow  of  speech, 
and  of  a  slow  tongue/^  ^^And  the  Lord  said  unto 
him,  Who  hath  made  man^s  mouthf^  ^'Have  not  I 
the  Lord?  Now  therefore  go,  and  I  will  be  with  thy 
mouth,  and  teach  thee  what  thou  shalt  sayT 

Yet  Moses  could  not  entirely  sever  his  thought  of 
self  and  trust  the  Lord.  ^^And  he  said,  O  my  Lord, 
send,  I  pray  thee,  by  the  hand  of  him  whom  thou 
shouldest  send^'  How  prone  we  are,  even  to  this 
day,  to  decide  in  our  minds  whom  the  Lord  shall  send 
as  his  Representative  to  man,  and  how  he  shall  come.) 
But,  after  all  this,  God  chose  Moses  to  be  his  rep- 
resentative to  Israel,  and  even  appointed  Aaron  his 
brother  to  be  a  mouthpiece  for  Moses,  saying,  **I 
know  that  he  can  speak  well/'  ^'And  thou  shalt 
speak  unto  him,  and  put  words  in  his  mouth:  and  I 
will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  with  his  mouth,  and  will 
teach  you  what  ye  shall  do.  And  he  shall  be  thy 
spokesman  unto  the  people:  and  he  shall  be,  even  he 
shall  be  to  thee  instead  of  a  mouth  and  THOU  SHALT 
BE   TO   HIM   INSTEAD  OF    GOD." 

Thus  God  puts  his  Word  into  the  mouths  of  his 


i8 


Chosen  Ones,  and  thus  he  appoints  a  man  to  be  as 
God  unto  men.  It  is  by  the  might  of  the  Word  that 
man  is  saved.  The  power  of  God  is  in  the  Word,  but 
it  saves  only  him  who  takes  it  into  his  heart  that  it 
may  spring  up  there  into  a  fountain  of  living  Water, 
from  which  he  shall  be  born  into  a  new  Life.  In 
its  lower,  outer  aspect,  it  is  for  the  advantage  of 
man's  present  living;  it  teaches  him  morals  and  eth- 
ics which  are  the  only  source  of  all  true  ethical  train- 
ing, but  its  deeper  meanings  and  instructions  are  to 
prepare  man  for  an  inner  life,  widely  different  and 
incomparable  to  this  life.  Indeed,  the  best  outer  life 
is  but  death  compared  to  this  inner  life;  it  is  an  old 
life  compared  to  a  new  life. 

The  speech  of  these  Mouthpieces  of  God  was  in 
the  language  and  terminology  of  the  time  and  place 
where  it  was  given,  but  the  teachings  were  offered  and 
accepted  only  up  to  the  degree  of  capacity  in  their 
hearers.  In  the  ages  of  spiritual  infancy  man  could 
receive  but  little  of  the  strength  of  the  Word,  and 
its  doctrine  was  according  to  his  capacity.  First  came 
the  laws  of  fear  and  obedience;  then  reverence,  jus- 
tice, wisdom  and  love  were  inculcated  Heavenly 
as  mankind  progressed  in  the  **Schools  School- 

of  the  Prophets.''    Each  revealer  of  the  masters 

Word  was  a  heavenly  schoolmaster  and  each  divine 
lesson  became  the  foundation  for  the  further  teach- 
ing of  a  later  day.  Each  manifestor  of  the  com- 
mands of  God  referred  to  the  teachings  of  those  be- 
fore him  as  witness  to  his  own  authority.     *^For  had 


19 


ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have    believed    me/^ 
(John  5.  46.) 

Age  after  age,  through  all  history,  One  has  ap- 
peared, who  gave  to  man  the  Word  of  God,  divine 
instruction  how  to  live  and  what  to  do  to  attain  a 
higher  and  heavenly  station,  to  overcome  former  con- 
ditions and  rise  to  a  manner  of  life  which  should  be 
permanent,  sinless,  perfect  and  valuable.  With  each 
one  there  was  no  earthly  power,  no  armies,  royalty, 
riches  nor  honor,  but  rather  poverty,  apparent  weak- 
ness, oppression,  hatred  and  rejection.     Whatever  the 

circumstance,  time  or  place,  he  was,  or 
The  Word      became,    poor   in   all   things   except   the 

riches  of  the  Word  which  ever  went 
forth  from  the  door  of  humility  and  lowliness.  It 
was  simply  delivered  and  left  to  itself  without  hu- 
man aid  (except  the  life  illustrating  it)  that  it  might 
prove  its  divine  power  by  its  own  penetrative,  creative 
and  transforming  effect  upon  mankind.  At  first  it 
entered  the  hearts  of  the  few,  changed  their  lives, 
opened  their  minds  to  the  Truth  and  Love  of  God, 
and  then  went  on  from  generation  to  generation,  al- 
tering the  destinies  of  nations,  overthrowing  dynasties, 
forming  new  peoples  and  giving  life  and  hope  to  un- 
told millions  of  souls  throughout  centuries  of  time. 

There  are  men  in  this  day,  reputed  to  be  learned, 
who  try  to  deny  that  the  historical  Jesus  ever  lived. 
The  histories  of  him  are  hearsay  accounts,  written 
by  unknown  authors;  not  a  word  of  his  own  writing 


20 


is  in  existence  as  far  as  known;  indeed  there  is  no 
record  that  he  ever  wrote,  except  with  his  finger  upon 
the  ground  (what  a  wonderful  symbol  was  that,  if  it 
be  understood!)   even  as  God  wrote  with  his  finger 
upon  the  tables  of  stone  borne  by  Moses 
from  Sinai.     Yet  the  evidence  that  the     ^^  Christ 
Christ  lived  in  that  age  of  the  world,  and 
that  he  gave  such  teachings  as  are  recorded,  is  as 
certain  as  the  existence  of  the  sun,  because  there  must 
have  been  a  Speaker  of  the  Words  which  have  lived 
and  proved  their  divine  quality  through  nineteen  cen- 
turies in  every  way  possible  for  the  mind  or  heart  of 
man  to  conceive.    None  but  a  Christ  could  have  con- 
ceived such  a  character  as  the  man,  Christ  Jesus. 

The  proof  of  the  sun  is  its  shining  and  its  effect 
on  the  physical  world;  the  evidence  of  the  Word  of 
God  is  its  educative  power  and  the  light  of  Life, 
which  it  kindles  in  the  souls  of  men,  making  each 
heart  a  living  flame,  never  to  be  quenched.  No  one, 
who  has  felt  the  elixir  of  the^Word  penetrating  his 
soul  and  the  fountain  of  eternal  youth  springing  up 
within  him,  can  ever  deny  the  reality  of  the  Christ 
and  the  fact  of  human  Manifestation,  the  Bearer  of 
the  Cup  of  Life. 

That  which  distinguishes  man  from  the  lower  king- 
doms, that  which  makes  him  a  man,  is  the  power  of 
the  Word  of  God  working  in  him  to  will  and  to  do, 
to  create  new  methods  of  thinking  and  doing,  to  im- 
plant new  ideas  which  later  become  ideals  toward 
which  he  strives,  because  he  perceives  them  to  be  more 


21 


valuable  than  his  former  knowledges  and  possessions, 
and  so  he  grows  from  childhood  to  manhood,  grows 
in  favor  with  God  and  man. 

Many  can  bear  witness  to  the  power  of  the  Word 
in  their  lives.  It  enters  through  the  brain  into  the 
mind  of  man,  and  if  not  rejected  it  goes 
h^^w  d  deeper,  penetrating  his  heart,  piercing 
through  the  shells  of  self  sufficiency  and 
self  conceit,  and  becomes  the  new  motive  power  of  his 
life.  '^For  the  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful, 
and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even 
to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  marrow,  and  is  a 
discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart/' 
(Heb.  4.  12.) 

Sometimes  the  effect  is  sudden,  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye.  Sometimes  a  great  grief  or  disappointment 
is  the  cause  of  his  awakening,  because  such  experiences 
drive  man,  as  it  were,  to  God  for  relief  from  despair. 
He  finds  in  time  of  sorrow  and  trial  that  there  is 
no  comforter  but  God  and  that  consolation  comes 
through  the  revealed  Word  which  always  invites  the 
hungry,  the  thirsty,  the  weary,  to  water,  food  and 
rest.  Therefore  the  Manifestation  of  the  Word  is 
indeed  the  Comforter  sent  by  God  to  those  who  turn 
to  him. 

It  teaches  us  of  the  realities  of  things,  what  we  are 
and  what  we  may  be.  It  tells  of  the  destiny  made 
possible  to  us  by  the  Love  of  our  Father.  It  is  so 
plain  that  no  farer  in  the  way  need  err  therein;  it  is 


22 


so  full  that  infinite  riches  reward  him  who  enters  Its 
depths.  It  is  the  Pearl  of  great  price,  the  treasure  of 
mankind,  the  guerdon  of  Immortality,  the  Path  of 
Eternal  Life.  Its  rewards  are  love,  wisdom,  service, 
bounty  and  joy. 

The  divine  proof,  the  permanent  and  reliable  evi- 
dence of  the  mission  and  authority  of  any  one  of 
God's  Chosen  Manifestations  is  the  effect  of  the 
Word  he  speaks.  Man's  word  is  of  little  weight, 
meaning  or  permanence;  It  Is  only  for  the  circum- 
stance and  time;  it  soon  fades  and  Is  forgotten,  but 
the  Word  of  God  passes  not  away.  It  changes  the 
very  nature  of  man;  It  lives,  grows, 
spreads  in  ever  widening  Influence,  has  i,  ^^^"^ 
depths  and  mountams  or  meanmgs,  is 
exhaustless,  boundless,  mighty,  and  rides  in  triumph 
over  Innumerable  graves  and  generations  of  the  works 
of  men.  So  It  Is  said  In  the  Revelation  of  St.  John 
that  he  who  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer, 
riding  upon  the  white  horse  and  followed  by  the  hosts 
of  heaven,  he  who  was  the  Lord  of  hosts,  was  called: 
The  Word  of  God.     (Rev.  19.  11.) 

Is  It  not  sufficiently  evident  that  the  great  means 
for  the  salvation  of  men  from  themselves,   for  the 
overcoming  of  all  satanic  desires  and  the  attainment 
of  Eternal  Life,  Is  the  Word  of  God? 
All    the    mighty    names    surround    the    The  Mighty 

Names 

Word.     The  one,   redeeming,   creating, 

life-giving  Power,  the  Angel  of  Light,  the  King  of 

Righteousness,  the  Son,  the  Father,  the  Manifesta- 


23 


tion,  the  Glory  of  God,  his  Right  Arm,  his  Holy  One, 
his  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  is  his  Word  Incarnate, 
revealed  through  the  mouths  and  manifested  in  the 
lives  of  his  holy  and  chosen  Ones  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world. 


24 


SUCCESSION  OF  DIVINE   REVELATIONS. 

Back  of  all  his  Revealers  was  the  Giver  of  the 
Word,  the  Infinite  Love,  Wisdom  and  Generosity. 
However  man  may  have  erred,  misinterpreted,  strayed 
or  opposed,  God  has  never  permitted  the  channel  of 
communication  to  be  entirely  closed,  lest  channels  of 
man  should  be  overwhelmed  and  des-  Communica- 
troyed  in  the  floods  of  his  own  falsities.  ^^^^ 
When  the  Word  became  clouded  by  the  false  inter- 
pretations of  ambitious  men,  veiled  by  their  desires 
and  errors,  so  that  man  was  in  danger  of  utter  loss 
and  denial  of  the  Holy  Word  and  its  Divine  Truth; 
when  the  waters  of  life  became  stained  and  adulter- 
ated by  filtering  through  the  brains  of  men,  another 
One  appeared  and  again  proclaimed  the  Word,  call- 
ing on  men  to  repent,  to  turn  from  the  tales  of  their 
past  and  look  to  the  new  Sun  of  Revelation  shining 
over  the  horizon  of  the  world.  This  is  history,  not 
imagination. 

We  know  not  what  manner  of  men  preceded  the 
new  spiritual  cycle  of  revelation  which  appeared  with 
Adam,  but  from  that  time  prophet  after  prophet  has 
proclaimed  the  Will  of  God  to  this  and  that  people. 
Whenever  and  wherever  **darkness  has  covered  the 
earth  and  gross  darkness  the  people,"  **the  glory  of 
the  Lord  has  arisen,"  bringing  the  dawn  of  a  new 


25i 


dispensation  of  divine  knowledge.  The  '*glory  of 
the  Lord''  is  the  revelation  of  his  Word,  a  shining 
Sun  of  wisdom  and  love,  a  Day-dawn  of  enlighten- 
ment and  assurance  dispersing  the  night  of  ignorance 
and  doubt. 

Each  of  these  great  revealers  of  God's  commands 
has  declared  that  his  dispensation  was  not  final;  has 
instructed  his  followers  to  look  forward  to  another 
coming,  to  a  great  and  glorious  Appearance,  whom 
No  ^U  mankind  would  recognize,  while  the 

Dispensation  whole  world  should  enter  into  a  para- 
Final  jjg^  q£  universal  knowledge  of  the  One 
God  and  world-wide  peace  in  his  Kingdom  on  earth. 
It  was  declared  that,  at  the  time  of  the  end,  in  the 
last  day,  there  should  be  a  revelation  of  God's  Will 
so  clear  that  the  hidden  things  should  become  known, 
so  broad  that  all  mankind  should  accept  it. 

Many  signs  have  been  given  in  the  sacred  books 

and  traditions  and  they  agree  wonderfully,  even  in 

terminologies.      In   that   day   the    old   heavens   and 

earth  should  end  like  a  scroll  that  is  read  and  finished, 

a  new  heaven  and  earth  appear;  the  sun  should  be 

darkened,  the  moon  turn  to  blood  and  the  stars  fall 

from  heaven — because  the  citizens  of  that  new  City 

would  have  ^^no  need  of  the  sun,  neither 

igns   o  ^1  ^^^  moon  to  shine  in  it.  for  the  Glory 

the  Times  /  /  • 

of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is 

the  light  (lamp)   thereof/'     (Rev.   21.   23.)     These 

signs  were  mentioned  by  Isaiah,  Amos,  Ezekiel,  Joel, 


26 


Jesus,  Peter  and  John,  as  well  as  by  great  prophets  of 
other  religions.  Therefore,  their  fulfillment  was  not 
completed  in  the  time  of  Jesus  nor  of  the  Revelations 
of  John.  Prophecy  is  evidently  of  such  a  nature  that  it 
cannot  be  understood  until  after  it  is  fulfilled;  other- 
wise it  would  be  mere  foretelling.  But  when  it  is 
completed  its  hidden  meanings  are  disclosed  and  easy 
to  be  comprehended  by  all  who  so  desire. 

It  was  to  be  a  time  of  trouble,  of  turmoil,  distur- 
bance and  change,  a  passing  away  of  old  doctrines, 
thoughts  and  things  and  the  appearance  of  a  new 
world  of  ideals  and  facts;  the  conditions  of  warfare, 
oppression,    ignorance    and    suffering    should    finally 
cease  and  a  heavenly  kingdom   of  wisdom,   justice, 
mercy  and  love  should    ensue,    accompanied    by    an 
earthly  reign  of  knowledge,  health,  hap- 
piness,   service,    peace     and     prosperity.         ^i!^^^i/ 
^^The  Lord  shall  be  king  over  all  the 
earth;  in  that  day  shall  there  be  one  Lord  and  his 
name  one!*     (Zech.  14.9.)     ^^For  the  earth  shall  be 
filed  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
(his  Manifested  Word)  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea!* 
(Hab.  2.14;  Is.   1 1.9.) 

The  Bahai  teaching  is  that  when,  in  the  ending  of  a 
great  cycle  of  dispensations  and  the  beginning  of  an- 
other, there  is  an  Universal  Manifestation  of  the  Will 
of  God,  the  changes  in  all  things  are  so  great,  the 
new  conditions  so  advanced,  that  the  old  becomes 
forgotten  and  no  trace  of  it  remains.    Although  it  is 


27 


believed  that  man  has  existed  on  earth  for  immense 
periods  of  time,  yet  there  is  no  record  of  him  previous 
to  Adam,  about  7,000  years  ago.  That  was  the  time 
of  the  beginning  of  this  great  week  of  thousands  of 
years  now  ending  and  passing  in  its  turn  into  the 
Lethe  of  forgetfulness.  Its  Sabbath,  its  final  day  of 
peace  and  rest,  has  ah'eady  dawned. 

The  recurrence  of  cycles  of  spiritual  light  and 
darkness  is  as  well  established  as  the  succession  of  days 
and  nights.  When  the  night  of  troubles  and  doubts 
becomes  dense,  when  faith  is  dangerously  shaken,  an- 
other dawn  of  glorious  revelation  of  God's  Word  and 
Will  appears  above  the  Eastern  Horizon.  This  has 
been  the  history  of  mankind  from  the  beginning,  and 
history  is  now  repeating  itself.  Toward  the  end  of  the 
1 8th  Century  and  in  the  nineteenth  the 
Darkness  world  was  in  deep  spiritual  darkness. 
We  see  the  effects  of  that  condition  in  the 
fierce  greed  of  men  and  nations,  their  oppression  over 
the  weak,  their  craftiness,  diplomacy,  fear  and  reli- 
ance upon  the  god  of  force.  In  the  schools  we  see 
the  academic  result  in  the  wide  spread  materialism, 
the  scoffing  at  religion  and  spiritual  ideas,  the  exalta- 
tion of  man  as  against  God,  the  dethronement  of 
God  from  participation  in  the  affairs  of  men  and  the 
doctrines  of  man's  self-sufficiency.  Our  great  univer- 
sities hesitate  not  to  teach  these  doctrines  of  gross 
materialism  and  their  works  on  religion  are  often  de- 
structive rather  than  constructive. 


28 


All  these  are  the  works  of  darkness,  but  God  slum- 
bers not,  nor  sleeps.  Afar  off  in  the  Orient  his  Sun  has 
risen  with  healing  in  his  wings,  his  Word 
has   again   appeared   through    Baha'o^-      ^^^  2!^^/ 

1       /-I  r  ^     1       ^  11  of  God 

LLAH,  the  Glory  or  God.  tLven  as  dark- 
ness and  ignorance  have  covered  the  earth,  so  this 
Great  Light  has  shone  forth  with  such  brilliancy, 
power  and  adaptation  to  the  needs  of  all  men,  that  it 
is  already  enlightening  the  globe,  and  seekers  for 
Truth,  advancing  ones  from  every  clime  and  religion, 
from  Persia,  Russia,  India,  Egypt,  China,  Germany, 
France,  England  and  America,  are  welcoming  its 
beautiful  and  Life-giving  radiance. 


29 


THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIME. 

The  times  are  full;  the  days  of  prophecy  are  num- 
bered and  the  prophecies  themselves  are  being  ful- 
filled before  our  eyes.     Now  Is  one  of  those  remark- 
able periods  of  unrest,  of  change  from 
Coming  of       former  to  future  conditions.     No  plane 

•the  New  c  t- r     -  i       •  •    i  i 

or  life  IS  exempt;  be  it  material,  mental, 
psychic  or  spiritual,  It  is  in  the  throes  of  a  new  crea- 
tion, a  new  conception,  a  disclosing  of  secrets  and 
bringing  forth  of  things  new  and  old.  We  are  al- 
ready so  employed  in  meeting  the  new  wonders  and 
adapting  ourselves  to  the  new  environment,  that  (with 
the  exception  of  the  workers  in  archaeological  search) 
we  care  but  little  for  the  things  of  past  centuries, 
which  are  rapidly  fading  from  sight. 

^'For  behold,  I  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth; 
and  the  former  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come 
into  mind/'     (Is.  65.17.) 

Daniel  Indicated  an  hour  upon  the  clock  of  time  in 
the  future  history  of  the  Persian  Kingdom,  and  Jesus 
referred  his  enquiring  disciples  to  Daniel.  The  Revel- 
ation of  St.  John  pointed  repeatedly  to  the  same 
dial.  Mahomet  proclaimed  the  same  period  and  all 
the  Scriptures  of  the  world  have  declared  In  unison 
the  events  of  that  time  of  times.  Now  the  FULFIL- 
MENT  HAS  ARRIVED,    EXACTLY   *'0N  TIME." 


30 


Those  wise  figurers,  the  **MIllerites,"  knew  the 
date  accurately  and  were  prepared  to  meet  it,  but  they 
misinterpreted  the  manner  of  its  fulfilment,  and  so 
grieved  bitterly  that  God  had  not  kept  his  appoint- 
ment. They  looked  for  a  "Coming"  not  in  accord 
with  known  laws,  forgetting  that  the  laws  of  nature 
are  the  laws  of  God,  and  that  he  does  not  violate 
his  own  laws.  The  **hour''  struck  exactly  at  the  ap- 
pointed time,  but  it  came  quietly  "in  the  night" 
and  did  not  sound  an  alarm  of  terror  in  the  skies. 

As  soon  as  its  foreword  was  uttered  in  the  Orient, 
the  Electric  Telegraph  responded  from  the  Occident 
and  flashed  its  first  great  message  to  the  world  in  the 
words:  "What  hath  God  wrought!" 

In  its  very  year  the  astronomers  noted  the  distur- 
bance of  Uranus  and  cried:  "A  new  planet  is  near 
and  about  to  be  revealed !"  Two  years  later  Neptune 
was  seen. 

In  the  same  year  Turkey  gave  the  great  Edict  of 
Toleration,  permitting  the  Jews  to  reside  in  Palestine, 
and  allowing  its  subjects  to  become  Christians.  That 
was  the  beginning  of  the  "Return"  of  the  Jews. 

In  the  mounds  of  Nineveh,  that  year,  archaeology 
commenced  to  disclose  the  concealed  mysteries  of  the 
past. 

AH  the  world  began  to  stir  and  awaken  to  the  re- 
vealing of  the  hidden  powers  of  earth,  air,  fire  and 
water.  Men  searched  for  realities  and,  by  the  un- 
recognized light  of  the  Spirit  shining  to  assist  every 


31 


seeker  for  truth,  they  have  discovered  that  which  has 
amazed  them.  Though  wonder  piles  on  wonder, 
they  are  yet  slow  to  acknowledge  the  real  cause  of 
The  Light      ^hls  tremendous  advance  in  knowledge. 

of  the         Sometimes,  in  the  very  act  of  discovering 

Spirit  |.j^g  marvelous  bounties  and  benefits  of 
God,  they  declare:  **There  is  no  God!"  There  is 
nothing  so  blinding  to  man  as  the  pride  of  intellect, 
the  exaltation  of  success.  One  may  as  well  deny  the 
influence  of  the  sun  in  the  growing  of  a  tree  as  to 
ignore  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  the  divine  light,  in  the 
growth  of  scientific  knowledge. 

To  him  who  hath  eyes  to  see,  it  is  a  necessity  for 
the  existence  of  man  that,  in  this  time  of  rapid  and 
unique  advancement  in  material  knowledges,  there 
must  be  an  equal  and  balancing  progress  in  spiritual 
enlightenment.  Just  in  the  degree  that  man  recedes 
from  the  recognition  of  the  actuality,  presence  and 
authority  of  God  as  an  over-ruling  Entity  and  from 
obedience  to  his  revealed  Word,  does  he  become  the 
servant  of  greed,  ambition,  cruelty,  injustice,  oppres- 
sion and  all  that  tends  to  degrade  him  and  extinguish 
his  real  humanity.  With  the  appearance  of  each  in- 
vention, note  how  the  hawks  of  the  governments 
watch  to  test  its  adaptability  to  purposes  of  war.  The 
intent  of  the  natural  man  is  to  rule  or  ruin,  and  power 
without  the  fear  of  God  means  ruin. 

These  dangerous  knowledges  of  means  of  destruc- 
tion, in  the  hands  of  Godless  rulers,  foretell  the  ex- 
tinction of  humanity  within  a  few  years,  unless  the 


32 


higher  powers  of  spiritual  knowledges,  as  expressed 
in  the  revelation  of  God's  Word,   shall  enter  their 
minds  and  hearts  and  turn  their  desires  to 
justice,  mercy  and  righteousness,  to  the        angerous 

1  r    i^     1  J  T^i  •       •  Knowledges 

love  or  Cjod  and  man.  Inis  is  nec- 
essary, not  only  for  this  nation  and  for  that,  but 
for  all  the  peoples  of  the  world.  That  knowledge, 
which  is  possessed  by  one  must  be  open  to  all;  there 
must  be  a  brotherhood  of  nations,  not  an  autocracy 
of  one  over  all.  This  is  impossible  while  different 
religions  separate  and  oppose  them  one  to  another. 
All  must  come  into  the  acknowledgment  of  One  God, 
One  Spirit,  One  Truth,  One  Father,  and  the  inter- 
dependence, unity,  harmony  and  brotherhood  of  all 
the  members  of  the  one  human  race.  Then  only  can 
there  be  health  and  true  prosperity  in  the  great  body 
politic  of  the  world. 


3S 


AS  ABOVE SO  BELOW. 

''All  that  is  in  the  heavens  and  earth  shows  forth 
the  Divine  Names  and  Attributes  until  the  traces  of 
the  splendor  of  that  Sun  of  Truth  are  manifest  and 
evident  in  every  atom;  so  that,  without  the  appear- 
ance of  this  splendor,  nothing  can  be  honored  with 
this  robe  of  life  nor  attain  to  existence  in  the  phenom- 
enal world.  What  suns  of  knowledges  are  concealed, 
in  an  atom!  What  oceans  of  wisdom  are  hidden  in 
a  drop!  Among  the  beings  man  is  especially  assigned 
to  these  robes  and  chosen  for  this  dignity,  for  all  the 
Divine  Names  and  Attributes  are  manifest  and  evi- 
dent in  human  appearances  in  the  most  perfect  and 
excellent  manner.  All  of  these  Names  and  Attributes 
have  reference  to  man/' 

''Everything  glorifieth  God  and  praiseth  Him. 
Some  among  them  know  God  and  mention 
Him;  some  mention  Him  and  do  not  know  Him/' 

"All  things  express  the  Divine  Names  and  Attrt- 
butes.  Each,  in  proportion  to  its  capacity,  indicates 
and  points  to  the  Divine  Knowledge,  until  the  appear- 
ances of  (His)  Attributes  and  Names  have  encom- 
passed  all  the  seen  and  unseen/' 

"O  thou,  my  friend:  I  declare  in  Truth  that  if  thou 


34 


dost  ponder  over  these  statements  thou  wilt  find  doors 
of  Divine  Wisdom  and  portals  of  Infinite  Knowledge 
opened  before  thy  face  J'     (Baha^o'llah.) 

^^The  outward  is  the  expression  of  the  inward;  the 
earth  is  the  mirror  of  the  Kingdom;  the  material 
world  corresponds  to  the  spiritual  world/'  (Abdul- 
Baha'.     "Some  Answered  Questions"  p.  319.) 

The  Ancient  Hermetic  proverb,  **As  above — so  be- 
low," signifies  that  every  physical  appearance  and  ac- 
tion is  an  outward  shadow  or  reflection  of  a  spirit- 
ual condition  within  or  above  it.  This  is  a  law  well 
known  from  earliest  ages.  Whenever  there  are  great 
changes  in  the  material  or  mental  worlds,  they  indicate 
corresponding  movements  in  the  inner  and  spiritual 
planes.  The  lower  phenomena  not  only  manifest  the 
presence,  influence  and  laws  of  the  higher  conditions 
but  are  also  dependent  upon  them. 

The  greatest  material  exemplar  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  light.  If  physical  light  greatly  increases  on 
the  earth,  as  it  has  done  in  the  last  few  years,  it  sure- 
ly signifies  an  intensifying  of  Spiritual  light  in  the 
world  of  mankind.  We  have  come  out  of  the  age  of 
candle  light  into  the  electric  blaze,  and 
it  means  more  than  the  mere  lighting  of  Light 

stores  and  streets.     It  is  converting  night 
into  day,  even  as  the  night  of  ignorance  and  doubt  in 
spiritual  matters  is  beginning  to  disappear  before  the 
rays  of  the  Spiritual  Sun  of  Revelation  which  has 
come  to  the  world  in  this  age.     *^The  people  that 


35 


walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ^  (Is. 
9.2.)  ** Arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come  and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee!*     (Is.  60.1.) 

Our  X-ray  discloses  the  interiors  and  contents  of 
opaque  substances.  What  a  marvel!  and  how  much 
greater  the  wonder  when  we  learn  that  it  typifies  the 
penetrating  power  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  now  search- 
ing the  hearts  and  reins  of  men  in  this  Day  of  Resur- 
rection and  Judgment  as  never  before. 

The  ships  in  need  send  silent  messages  into  the  air 
(even  as  we  who  pray  send  forth  our  supplications  to 
the  Unseen)  and  answering  succor  comes  to  cheer  and 
save. 

By  telegraph  and  telephone  we  communicate  with 
all  the  world  and  overcome  all  obstacles,  little  think- 
ing that  it  means  the  leveling  of  mountains,  the  lifting 

of  valleys,  the  making  of  the  whole 
th^^w"^        earth  a  broad  highway  for  the  diffusion 

of  knowledge,  because  it  is  the  time  when 
the  ''Glory  of  the  Lord"  Is  revealed  and  his  Word 
flashes  like  the  lightning  from  East  to  West  and 
around  the  circle  of  the  earth. 

'^Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight 
in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God/* 

''Every  valley  shall  he  exalted,  and  every  mountain 
and  hill  shall  he  made  low,  and  the  crooked  shall  he 
made  straight,  and  the  rough  places  plain/* 

36 


^^And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and 
all  flesh  shall  see  it  together  J'     (Is.  40.  3-5.) 

What  is  that  Glory  but  the  Word  of  God? 

By  the  aid  of  this  electricity,  the  physical  servant 
of  the  spirit,  which  furnishes  light,  heat  and  motion, 
annihilating  space  and  time,  our  ships  and  trains 
speed  more  and  more  swiftly,  lessening  distances,  bear- 
ing the  products  of  the  whole  earth  to  every  part, 
carrying  travelers,  missionaries,  searchers  for  knowl- 
edge, back  and  forth  from  nation  to  nation,  bring- 
ing all  peoples  into  closer  acquaintance,  making  it 
possible  for  the  Gospel  to  be  preached  in  all  the  world 
and  fulfilling  prophecy.  ^^At  the  time  of  the  end, 
many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  he 
increased  J'      (Dan.   12.4.) 

These  things  are  evident  to  him  who  believes  the 
Word  of  God  and  seeks  his  Truth,  but  greater  things 
are  at  the  door.  How  shall  we  interpret  the  domin- 
ion over  the  air,  which  seems  near  at  hand?  When 
it  is  accomplished  the  correspondence  with  spiritual 
flight  and  knowledge  shall  become  clear  and  we  shall 
know  an  uplifting  and  exaltation  of  which  we  now 
have  little  conception.  As  we  ascend  from  earthly 
attachments  and  soar  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Spirit 
we  shall  indeed  "meet  the  Lord  in  the  air." 

The  world  is  smaller  today  than  yesterday  and  its 
interests  are  so  commingled  that  all  mankind  is  con- 
cerned in  the  news  of  today's  happenings  at  every 
point  of  the  globe.     Commercial  interests  are  so  in- 


37 


terwined  that  a  death  in  China,  a  quarrel  between 
Sheiks  in  Morocco,  or  the  arrest  of  a  deserter  in 
France,  affects  all  the  money  marts  of  the  world  with- 
in the  hour.  The  sensitive  nerves  of  money  now 
reach  to  the  farthest  corners  of  the  earth.  Has  all 
this  wonderful  progress  no  deeper  significance  than 
commercial  exploitation  ? 

The  Word  has  gone  forth  from  the  Throne  of  God, 
commanding  unity  and  peace,  and  mankind  is  stand- 
ing at  the  threshold  of  that  millenium  of  spiritual 
knowledge  and  human  harmony  which  has  been 
promised  through  the  ages.  All  material  processes 
bring  men  closer  together,  all  physical  discoveries,  all 
mental  energies  are  preparing  the  way  for  the  great 
union  and  world-wide  community  of  human  interests 
when  ^'business"  shall  be  conducted  **in  the  Name  of 

the  Lord."  Masters  of  industry  think 
mty  an         ^j^^^  ^^^  doing  these  things  of  themselves 

for  the  furtherance  of  their  own  little  af- 
fairs and  purposes,  knowing  not  that  they  are  instru- 
ments in  the  hand  of  God  to  open  the  doors  of  op- 
portunity to  all  peoples  in  this  Day  of  his  Revealing, 
that  no  good  thing  shall  be  withheld  from  any  and 
that  the  human  race  may  enter  into  the  consummation 
of  peace  on  earth,  good  will  among  men,  or,  as  some 
of  our  friends  interpret:  *Teace  on  earth  among 
men  of  good  will."  '^Shall  the  axe  boast  itself  against 
him  that  heweth  therewith?''  (Is.  10.15.)  ^^^^  '^^H 
deed  for  this  cause  have  I  made  thee  stand,  for  to 

38 


show  in  thee  my  power;  and  that  my  name  may  he 
declared  throughout  all  the  earth,''     (Ex.  9.16.) 

Even  the  automobiles  and  electric  cars  declare  the 
arrival  of  the  "day  of  his  preparation."  ^*The  char- 
iots shall  he  with  flaming  torches  (literally,  fire  of 
steels)  in  the  day  of  his  preparation''  The  chariots 
shall  rage  in  the  streets,  they  shall  jostle  one  against 
another  in  the  broad  ways;  they  shall  seem  like  torch- 
es,  they  shall  run  like  the  lightnings."  (Nahum  2.3.) 


39 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE. 

The  discoveries  of  the  last  half  century  are  suf- 
ficient to  lift  man  from  a  condition  of  comparative 
childhood  to  a  manhood  of  knowledge,  and  the  end 
is  not  yet.  Looking  back  a  few  years, 
^  °°  within  our  own  lifetimes,  we  perceive  that 

we  were  but  children ;  now  we  think  we 
are  wise,  but  to  him,  who  sees  beyond  the  present,  it  is 
evident  that  whole  universities  of  scientific  and  spirit- 
ual learning  are  opening  their  doors  to  us  and  that  we, 
as  Freshmen,  have  just  entered  upon  the  vast  course 
of  knowledges,  which  shall  graduate  mankind  into 
an  era  of  wisdom,  welfare,  harmony,  peace  and  pros- 
perity, such  a  golden  age  of  Godly  and  heavenly 
living  as  the  world  has  never  seen. 

Who  now  can  smile  at  prophecy?  Its  literal  ful- 
filments are  crowding  upon  each  other  in  this  Day 
of  God's  Manifestation  when  he  is  revealing  the  hid- 
den things  of  his  treasuries  and  inviting  every  lover 
of  Truth  to  come  and  feast  at  the  banquet  of  the 
Lord.  Who  can  say  that  his  Spirit  is  not  working 
among  men  to  perfect  his  promises  when,  in  one  day, 
the  peoples  of  different  religions  in  Turkey  suddenly 
forget  their  hatred  and  rush  together  in  embraces, 
feastings,    good    will    and    joy?*      Mohammedans, 

*These  events    followed  the   adoption   of  the  Constitution   of   Turkey,   July 
24,    1908. 

40 


Christians  and  Jews  embrace  each  other,  regardless 

of  religious  differences.     In  the  streets 

of  old  Terusalem  Jews  are  seen  holding     ^^,.,  ^^  ^ 
1    /•       1  1  r    A  T   1  J      Fulfilment 

aloft  the  green  banner  or   Mohammed 

while  Christians  applaud,  and  Mohammedans  open 

the  doors  of  the  great  Mosque  on  the  site  of  the 

Temple  of  Solomon  and  welcome  Jews  into  that  holy 

place  where  no  Israelite  has  been  permitted,  on  pain 

of  death,  to  stand  for  many  centuries.     No  longer 

is  it  necessary   for  them  to  wail  against  the   outer 

wall  of  that  Sanctuary  so  sacred  to  them;  the  door 

has  been  opened,  and  whether  or  not  it  remain  so, 

it  is  a  type  of  the  opening  of  innumerable  doors,  the 

removal  of  a  multitude  of  barriers  that  have  held 

apart  the  members  of  God's  great  family,  the  human 

race. 

Never  before  has  the  world  witnessed  miracles  like 
these,  although  the  prophets  of  old  have  declared 
them  in  language  which  cannot  now  be  misunder- 
stood. The  Day  of  Fulfilment  is  at  hand,  is  here. 
^^The  month  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it/'  (Is.  40. 
5.),  and  every  atom  of  existence  proclaims  it.  The 
subtle  electric  spark,  the  particle  of  radium,  all  the 
elements  and  powers  of  the  four  kingdoms  (earth, 
fire,  air,  water)  and  the  spirit  of  man  are  arising 
from  their  lethargy  to  declare  the  vital  presence  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  in  overwhelming  manifestation. 

The  Old  Testament  prophecies  consist  of  two 
great  burdens — the  condemnation,  dispersion  and  suf- 
fering of  Judah  and  Israel,  and  their  forgiveness, 


41 


return  and  joyful  gathering  together  in  the  Holy 
Land.  The  real  fulfilments  of  prophecy  are  on  the 
spiritual  plane  but,  in  order  that  even  the  blind  may 
see,  there  are  literal  fulfilments  also.  Today  the 
Jews  are  coming  en  masse  to  Palestine; 

^o^f^r^'^ht?'  ^^^y  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^y  ^^^^"^  Jerusalem  but 
are  gathering  in  towns  and  villages  and 

making  efforts  to  buy  the  lands.  They  are  rapidly 
gaining  precedence  in  business  affairs,  and  the  won- 
derful changes  under  the  Turkish  Government  seem 
to  be  opening  the  gates  for  a  restoration  of  their 
honor  and  prosperity  in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 

The  nth  Chapter  of  Isaiah  is  one  of  hundreds 
of  references  to  the  present  times.  Some  portion  of 
its  promises  may  be  said  to  have  been  fulfilled  by 
Christ,  but  only  a  portion,  and  divine  prophecy  is  of 
such  nature  that  it  calls  for  many  fulfilments,  even  to 
the  time  of  final  culmination.  All  through,  it  declares 
the  occurrences  of  this  Day  of  Revelation  (their  pres- 
ence and  meaning  are  evident  to  the  Bahai  student)  : 
(i)  the  coming  forth  of  the  Rod  (The  Word),  the 
rod  of  iron  to  rule  the  nations,  the  sharp  sword  of 

his  mouth  to  smite  the  nations  (also 
Isaiah  ^^^  19.15:  I.  16)  —  (2)  the  appearance 

of  the  Branch  to  manifest  wisdom  and 
knowledge  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  (also  Jer.  23. 
5-6)  —  (3)  the  changing  of  animosity  into  harmony 
and  the  dwelling  together  of  different  peoples  in 
peace — (4)  the  fulness  and  universality  of  "the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord''   (also  Hab.  2.  14)  —  (5) 


421 


the  Ensign  of  Glory  standing  for  the  seekers  of  truth 
and  the  assembling  of  Israel,  Judah  and  the  Gentiles 
(also  Is.  49.22:  59.19)  —  (6)  the  coming  together 
of  the  remnant  of  the  Lord's  people  from  all  parts 
of  the  earth — (7)  the  cessation  of  envy  and  enmity 
against  the  Jews — (8)  their  prosperity  in  the  Land 
of  Canaan — (9)  the  '^laying  under  a  ban  the  tongue 
of  the  Egyptian  sea" — smiting  the  river  in  its  seven 
streams  so  that  men  should  go  over  dry  shod.  What 
is  this  river-sea  but  the  Nile,  which  has  been  put  un- 
der bond  by  the  great  Assuan  Dam  and  highway,  one 
of  the  engineering  wonders  of  the  age?  (also  Is. 
62.  10-12.)  Think  of  the  number  of  prophecies  in 
one  chapter  alone,  and  all  being  fulfilled  before  our 
eyes  today!  Surely,  in  this  time  the  intelligent  stu- 
dent of  prophecy  will  find  richer  rewards  than  ever 
before,  because  the  proofs  of  truth  are  in  procession 
before  him,  and  it  is  the  time  of  understanding. 

Hitherto  the  peoples  of  the  world  have  had  little 
acquaintance  or  knowledge  of  each  other.     Each  na- 
tion,  knowing  only  its  own  manners,   customs   and 
ideas,  could  see  little  good  in  any  other. 
The  foreigner  was  regarded  as  an  enemy  ^     ^^ 

to  be  feared,  or  overcome.  Indeed,  the 
attitude  of  governments  to  this  day  is  that  of  fear. 
Each  new  battleship  is  a  signal  for  the  adding  of 
one  or  more  to  other  fleets.  The  strong  fear  a  com- 
parative diminution  of  their  strength  and  the  weak 
are  in  terror  of  the  strong.  But  the  time  of  awaken- 
ing has  come  and  on  every  side  are  those  who  recog- 


43 


nize  the  ignorance  and  'foolishness  of  such  a  condition 
among  the  reasonable  beings,  and  the  volume  of  their 
voice  is  constantly  swelling  and  demanding  peace. 
This  national  antagonism  is  but  an  extension  of  the 
ancient  condition  when  each  man's  hand  was  against 
every  other.  Then  the  scattered  units  joined  into  the 
larger  individualizations  of  tribes  and  the  tribes  into 
nations;  the  first  intent  was  self-protection,  the  sec- 
ond— aggression.  This  has  been  the  kindergarten 
age  of  man,  an  age  which  is  now  coming  to  its  end. 

Man  has  been  playing  at  living,  in  a  sort  of  rough, 
competitive  game,  striving  for  personal  benefit  with- 
out regard  to  the  welfare  of  others.  The  result  has 
The  Age  been  that  where  one  gained,  many  lost 
of  and  mankind  as  a  whole  received  noth- 

Unity  jj^g^      Now   it  is  beginning  to   be   per- 

ceived that  the  power  of  progress  lies  in  unity.  It  is 
an  age  of  syndicates  and  combinations  on  ever  en- 
larging scales — not  only  between  individuals  but  be- 
tween great  firms  and  corporations,  and  even  churches 
are  uniting  for  greater  power  and  usefulness.  This 
centering  of  scattered  forces,  this  uniting  of  com- 
petitors is  in  direct  fulfilment  of  promise  and  pro- 
phecy; it  is  the  preparation  for  the  unity  of  man  and 
the  reign  of  peace. 

Treaties  are  made  between  governments  for  of- 
fence and  defence  against  enemies;  when  treaties  shall 
exist  between  all  nations  for  the  conservation  of 
benefits  and  for  mutual  helpfulness  in  the  progress 
and  good  of  all,  then  shall  there  be  the  universal  peace 


44 


and  an  advance  of  the  whole  world  to  higher,  better, 

happier  conditions.     In  a  vague  sort  of 

way  the  **Millennium"  has  been  expected    ^1^  ^^.  ^^^ 

•'      .  Mir  Millennium 

to  arrive  at  some  possible  future  some- 
time; but  it  is  already  at  the  door.  Now,  in 
the  amazing  increase  of  knowledges,  the  breaking 
down  of  barriers  of  ignorance,  the  widening  of 
commercial  interests,  the  closer  acquaintance  of 
peoples,  in  brief — in  the  acknowledged  need  of  Unity, 
the  first  rays  of  that  glorious  dawn  of  human  sol- 
idarity, universal  welfare  and  prosperity  are  appear- 
ing above  the  horizon. 

The  practical  evidences  of  this  progress  are  on  every 
hand.  The  establishment  of  hospitals  for  scientific 
research,  equipped  with  the  best  materials  and  finest 
brains;  the  uses  of  anaesthetics;  the  war  on  the  white 
plague,  tuberculosis;  the  improved  methods  of  treat- 
ing the  insane  and  prisoners;  the  use  of  better  and 
safer  building  materials  as  steel  and  concrete;  the 
training     of     farmers     in     agriculture, 

providing  the  means  to  make   an  acre       Millennial 

rLvidences 
multiply    its   productive    value,    and   to 

clothe  the  arid  plains  with  grain  and  fruits ;  the  gov- 
ernment weather  prognostications;  the  forming  of 
democratic  constitutions  in  Empires;  the  judgments 
by  arbitration;  the  increase  of  general  education  and 
world-wide  influence  of  the  universities,  which  re- 
ceive their  recruits  from  all  lands  and  year  by  year 
are  sending  out  armies  of  young  men  trained  in  mod- 
ern knowledges;  the  forming  of  International  Clubs 


45 


in  these  great  schools  in  America  and  Europe,  where 
student  representatives  of  all  peoples  become  acquaint- 
ed and  form  bonds  of  friendship;  these  advances 
and  a  multitude  more  are  all  for  the  service  of  man- 
kind, for  his  elevation  to  new  conceptions  and  meth- 
ods of  living,  and  they  all  witness  the  presence  and 
power  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Only  from  a  source 
that  is  higher  than  man  can  such  a  host  of  glories 
be  inspired. 

We  are  entering  upon  a  human  period  when  the 
motives  of  man  shall  be  reversed,  when  his  purpose 
shall  be  to  serve  rather  than  to  be  served,  to  benefit 
others,  to  conserve  the  interest  of  the  whole  rather 
than  of  the  individual  self.  Instead  of  oppression, 
greed  and  selfishness,  the  motive  powers  of  man  shall 

The  be  justice,  helpfulness  and  love.     These 

Manhood  are  the  elements  of  peace  and  prosperity, 
of  Man  which  are  twin  brothers  born  of  man's 

true  evolution.  Man  is  emerging  from  barbarism 
into  civilization,  from  childhood  to  manhood,  from 
darkness  to  light;  he  is  just  now  passing  out  of  his 
period  of  adolescense,  of  little  wisdom  and  callow 
pride,  into  a  noble  maturity  of  conscious  strength, 
knowledge  and  manly  stability.  A  great  cycle  of  past 
conditions  is  closing  and  we  stand  upon  the  thresh- 
hold  of  a  new  age,  which  is  beyond  all  our  present 
conjectures  in  its  values  to  man.  In  its  reality,  it 
is  the  Manifestation  of  God,  the  Glory  of  the  Lord 
revealing  itself  upon  the  plane  of  humanity. 

Preceding  and  accompanying  these  confirmations 

46 


of  prophecy  has  appeared  the  Essence  and  Crown  of 
all  divine  manifestation,  the  Word  of  God  Incarnate. 
It  shone  forth  at  the  time  appointed,  from  the  place 
declared,  in  the  manner  proclaimed  and  witnessed  to 
by  history  and  prophecy  in  every  age  of  the  world. 


47 


History 


THE  BAB. 

In  the  City  of  Shiraz,  Persia,  on  the  evening  of 
Jamali  Awal  5th,  1260  A.  H.  (the  1260th  year  of 
Mohammedan  reckoning  from  the  Hejira),  which 
was  May  23rd,  1844,  A.  D.,  a  young  man,  after- 
ward known  as  The  Bab,  or  Gate,  began  calling  upon 
men  to  repent,  to  purify  their  lives  and  to  prepare 
to  meet — *'He  whom  God  shall  manifest,"  who  was 
about  to  appear  to  fulfil  the  words  of  the  prophets 
and  to  proclaim  the  Word  of  God.  His  mission  was 
that  of  an  Elias,  a  John  the  Baptist  proclaiming  the 
coming  of  one  mightier  than  him  and  calling  upon 
men  to  prepare  the  way  for  that  Coming. 

The  place  and  time  of  that  declaration  correspond- 
ed exactly  with  the  prophecies  in  Israelitish,  Christian 
and  Mohammedan  scriptures  and  traditions.  It  was 
in  the  Persian  Kingdom,  which  was  the  especial  field 
of  Daniel's  prophecies;  it  arose  out  of  Mohammed- 
anism which  power  was  distinctly  foretold  as  to  ap- 
pear in  that  former  great  kingdom  of  Persia;  it  was 
in  the  Mohammedan  year  1260,  which  corresponded 
to  the  **time,  times  and  half  a  time"  named  to  Daniel 
as  the  period  **of  these  wonders"  to  the  time  of  the 
end,  which  same  period  is  referred  to  in  several  ways 


51 


in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John.  It  was  exactly  looo 
years  from  the  disappearance  of  the  Twelfth  Iman, 
the  *'Iman  Mahdi,"  who  was  to  appear  at  the  end 
of  that  time  to  usher  in  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
upon  the  earth. 

The  date  fulfilment  was  in  accurate  accord  with 
many  prophecies,  and  the  accompanying  "signs" 
answered  so  literally  to  numerous  declarations  in  var- 
ious scriptures  that  many  men  of  intellect,  as  well  as 
those  who  were  learned  only  in  heart  knowledge,  be- 
lieved in  the  Bab.  His  doctrine  spread  rapidly 
through  Persia  and  inspired  such  spiritual  zeal  that 
it  aroused  the  antagonism  of  the  orthodox  Ulamas 
and  Doctors  of  religious  law.  Great  oppression  was 
incited  by  them,  which  finally  drove  the  Babis  to 
fight  in  self  defense  of  their  property  and  lives.  The 
history  of  trials  and  sufferings,  battles  and  martyr- 
doms, endurance  and  joy  for  their  faith  and  love  of 
Truth  is  authentic  and  scarcely  paralleled  in  all  the 
world. 

One  who  witnessed  such  martyrdoms  wrote :  "How 
many  children  have  become  fatherless!  How  many 
fathers  have  become  childless!  How  many  mothers 
have  not  dared,  through  fear  and  dread,  to  mourn 
over  their  slaughtered  children!  Many  were  the 
servants  (of  God)  who  at  eve  were  in  wealth  and 
opulence  and  at  dawn  were  beheld  in  the  extreme  of 
poverty  and  abasement!  There  is  no  ground  but 
hath  been  dyed  with  their  blood  and  no  air  whereunto 
their  groanings  have  not  arisen!  And,  during  these 


52 


few  years,  the  arrows  of  affliction  have  rained  down 
without  intermission  from  the  clouds  of  fate. 

^'Yet,  notwithstanding  all  these  visitations  and 
afflictions,  the  fire  of  divine  love  is  in  such  fashion 
kindled  in  their  hearts  that,  were  they  all  to  be  hewn 
in  pieces,  they  would  not  forswear  the  love  of  the 
Beloved  of  all  the  dwellers  upon  earth;  nay,  rather 
with  their  whole  souls  do  they  yearn  and  hope  for 
what  may  befall  them  in  the  way  of  God." 

A  European  witness  (Mr.  Ussher)  said:  **It 
was  enough  to  be  suspected  of  Babeeism  to  be  at 
once  put  to  death.  No  time  was  lost  between  appre- 
hension and  execution.  Death  was  the  only  punish- 
ment known;  the  headless  bodies  lay  in  the  streets 
for  days,  the  terrified  relatives  fearing  to  give  them 
burial,  and  the  dogs  fought  and  growled  over  the 
corpses  in  the  deserted  thoroughfares." 

For  six  years  the  Bab  taught  and  wrote  his  instruc- 
tions, known  as  the  Beyan  (Revelation),  most  of  the 
time  in  prison,  often  '^questioned"  by  the  Ulamas, 
beaten  and  bastinadoed,  and  finally  he  was  martyred 
in  1850,  at  the  age  of  30,  in  the  public  square  of 
Tabriz. 

An  eye  witness,  not  a  believer,  writes  of  him  at 
that  time :  *'The  Bab  kept  perfectly  silent.  His  pale 
and  beautiful  face  surrounded  by  a  black  beard,  his 
white  and  delicate  hands,  his  figure  and  distinguished 
manner,  everything  in  his  person  and  in  his  dress 
aroused  the  sympathy  and  compassion  of  the  specta- 
tors."   '*He  had  characteristics  truly  great  and  noble, 


S3 


and  was  a  man  of  firm  and  settled  convictions.  His 
moral  character  was  high,  and  he  aimed  in  his  teach- 
ing to  bring  all  his  countrymen  into  a  community, 
united  by  intellectual  and  moral  ties." 

Prof.  Ross,  of  University  College,  London,  wrote : 
"His  wonderful  life  needs  no  comment.  If  ever  a 
life  spoke  for  itself,  it  is  the  Bab's  with  its  simplicity, 
integrity  and  unswerving  devotion  to  the  Truth  that 
was  born  in  him."  '*He  felt  the  Truth  in  him,  and 
in  the  proclamation  of  that  Truth,  he  moved  neither 
hand  nor  foot  to  spare  himself,  but  unflinchingly  sub- 
mitted to  all  manner  of  injustice  and  persecution,  and 
finally,  to  an  ignominous  death."  **His  influence 
penetrated  deeper  than  their  curiosity  and  their  minds ; 
It  reached  their  hearts  and  inspired  them  with  a  spirit 
of  self  sacrifice,  renunciation  and  devotion  as  remark- 
able and  as  admirable  as  his  own." 


54 


baha'o'llah. 

In  1852-3,  nine  years  after  the  first  declaration  of 
the  Bab,  Baha^o^llah,  then  35  years  of  age,  a  native 
of  the  City  of  Noor  (Light)  in  Persia  and  an  exile 
to  Baghdad  in  Arabia,  began  teaching  and  expound- 
ing religious  doctrines  in  such  a  way  that  it  attracted 
the  hearts  of  many  listeners,  especially  the  Babis,  and 
caused  bitter  opposition  from  others.  As  contention 
grew,  he  quietly  left  Baghdad  and  for  two  years  re- 
mained alone  in  seclusion  in  the  mountains  of  Sarkalu, 
his  whereabouts  unknown  to  all.  When  he  returned 
to  Baghdad  the  teaching  was  renewed  and  in  1863 
A.  D.,  nineteen  years  after  the  Bab's  proclamation, 
he  openly  declared  his  mission  as  **He  whom  God 
shall  manifest,"  for  twelve  successive  days  in  the 
Rizwan  or  garden  of  the  city. 

At  that  time  he  and  his  followers,  now  known  as 
Bahais,  were  removed  to  Constantinople  and  soon 
after  to  Adrianople,  where  they  remained  until  1868 
A.  D.  when,  under  pressure  from  enemies,  they  were 
transported  to  the  political  prison  of  Acca  In  Syria. 
Acca  is  about  twenty  miles  from  Nazareth,  the  home 
of  Jesus,  and  nine  miles  from  Mt.  Carmel,  the  scene 
of  many  scriptural  events.  Thus  was  the  Bahal  Man- 
ifestation driven  by  Its  enemies  into  the  Holy  Land, 


55 


God's  Land  of  Promise.  "God  moves  in  a  mysterious 
way  his  wonders  to  perform  T' 

The  purpose  of  this  imprisonment  was  to  exter- 
minate the  movement,  as  it  was  supposed  to  be  already 
extinguished  in  Persia  by  the  killing  of  all  who  were 
known  to  be  affiliated  with  it.  Acca  was  famous  for 
its  deadly  malarial  conditions  and  prisoners  there 
were  usually  short  lived.  It  was  said  that  a  bird  at- 
tempting to  fly  over  Acca  would  drop  dead.  All 
but  a  scattered  and  unknown  few  of  the  former  Babis 
in  Persia  had  been  martyred.  There  were  seventy 
men,  women  and  children  with  Baha^o^llAH  in  that 
exile,  and  so  secretly  were  they  removed  to  Acca,  so 
close  was  the  imprisonment  there  that,  for  a  long 
time,  none  of  the  **friends"  in  Persia  or  elsewhere 
knew  what  had  become  of  them. 

Baha'o'llah  was  confined  alone  in  the  highest 
room  in  the  prison  tower  and  all  of  the  others  were 
herded  together  like  cattle  in  a  large  room  in  the  bar- 
racks below.  They  were  allowed  no  communication 
with  persons  outside;  they  were  subjected  to  extreme 
hunger,  vile  food  and  water,  mud,  filth  and  disease; 
typhoid  fever  and  dysentery  broke  out  among  them 
and  all  but  five  were  ill.  Even  some  of  their  guards 
were  sick.  One  man  only  was  left  to  care  for  them  all; 
that  man  was  Abbas  Effendi,  the  son  of  Baha'- 
o^LLAH,  now  known  as  Abdul-Baha,  the  Servant  of 
the  Glory  of  God.  In  spite  of  the  horror,  disease, 
oppression  and  suffering,  these  people  lived  to  be  re- 
leased from  close  imprisonment  after  a  long  period. 


and  eventually  they  were  allowed  the  freedom  of  the 
Valley  of  Acca,  reaching  from  Acca  to  Haifa,  nine 
miles  away. 

It  was  during  this  time  of  strictest  confinement, 
when  each  loaf  of  bread  was  cut  open  by  the  guards 
to  see  that  it  contained  no  communication,  that  the 
long  epistles,  ^Xetters  to  the  Kings,"  were  sent  from 
that  prison  tower  to  the  monarchs  of  the  earth,  in- 
cluding the  Pope  at  Rome,  Queen  Victoria,  Napoleon 
III,  and  the  President  of  the  United  States,  calling 
upon  them  to  recognize  Baha'o'llah  as  the  Mes- 
senger of  God.  It  was  then,  when  the  Cause  seemed 
to  human  sight  to  be  extinct  and  buried  beyond  pos- 
sibility of  resurrection,  that  the  most  triumphant 
pseans  of  victory  were  penned  by  the  exiled  captive 
in  his  silent  chamber  in  the  prison  tower  of  Acca.  He 
proclaimed  the  triumph  of  the  Spirit  of  God  over  the 
whole  earth  as  an  accomplished  fact,  the  utter  defeat 
and  rout  of  the  hosts  of  darkness  and  the  victory  of 
the  Glory  of  God  (BahaVllah),  the  Word  of 
God,  over  the  hearts  of  men  throughout  the  world. 
Today,  millions  of  happy  souls  are  rejoicing  in  that 
Word,  devoting  their  lives  to  that  Cause  and  proving 
that  the  Word  was  divine  and  from  the  Almighty 
God,  and  that  the  imprisoned  man,  who  suffered  that 
the  Word  might  come  to  its  new  birth  and  maturity 
among  men,  was  indeed  the  Manifestation  of  the 
Will  of  God. 

For  forty  years  Baha^o'llah  taught  and  wrote, 
all  of  that  time  an  exile  and  much  of  it  in  what  he 


57 


called — "the  greatest  prison."  His  works  are  vol- 
uminous and  all  are  filled  with  instructions  of  ex- 
alted wisdom  for  both  the  spiritual  and  material 
evolution  of  man.  They  parallel  the  divine  teach- 
ings of  all  past  ages,  illumining  and  showing  them 
forth  in  wonderful  clearness  and  new  beauty.  They 
meet  the  needs  of  the  spiritually  hungry  in  every 
religion  and  clime;  they  penetrate  the  hearts  and 
thrill  the  souls  with  divine  aspiration  and  light;  they 
melt  away  all  separateness  in  the  fires  of  love  and 
bring  believers  from  every  part  of  the  world  into  a 
perfect  unity. 

Prof.  Edward  G.  Browne,  Lecturer  in  Persian  to 
the  University  of  Cambridge,  England,  who  visited 
BahaVllah  in  1890,  said:  '*The  face  of  him  on 
whom  I  gazed  I  can  never  forget,  though  I  cannot  des- 
cribe it.  Those  piercing  eyes  seemed  to  read  one's  very 
soul;  power  and  authority  sat  on  that  ample  brow, 
while  the  deep  lines  on  the  forehead  and  face  implied 
an  age  which  the  jet  black  hair  and  beard,  flowing 
down  in  indistinguishable  luxuriance  almost  to  the 
waist,  seemed  to  belie.  No  need  to  ask  in  whose  pres- 
ence I  stood,  as  I  bowed  myself  before  one  who  is 
the  object  of  a  devotion  and  love  which  kings  might 
envy  and  emperors  sigh  for  in  vain." 


5» 


ABDUL-BAHA  ABBAS. 

Before  his  departure  in  May  1892,  Baha^o'llah 
appointed  his  son  Abbas  Effendi,  Abdul-Baha,  to  be 
the  '^Center  of  the  Covenant"  of  Light,  Love  and 
Peace  which  he  had  founded  in  the  Name  of  God. 
He  commanded  all  to  turn  their  faces  to  Abdul-Baha 
for  understanding,  thus  making  him  the  authorized 
Interpreter  of  his  writings.  The  only  claim  that  Ab- 
dul-Baha makes  for  himself  is  this  authority  of  in- 
terpretation and  that  he  is  Abdul-Baha — the  Servant 
of  God  in  this  Revelation. 

Abdul-Baha  Abbas  was  born  in  Teheran,  Persia, 
on  the  evening  of  May  23rd,  1844,  A.  D.^  at  the 
very  hour  while  the  Bab  was  uttering  in  Shiraz  his 
declaration  of  the  fulness  of  the  times  and  the  com- 
ing of  the  Great  Revealer.  He  was  not  of  the  family 
of  the  Bab,  and  the  Bab  could  not  have  known  his 
birth  by  any  material  means.  At  nine  years  of  age 
he  accompanied  his  father  in  the  journey  of  exile  to 
Baghdad,  and  from  that  time  he  shared  every  hard- 
ship, suffering  and  imprisonment,  ever  manifesting 
such  remarkable  wisdom,  influence,  helpfulness  and 
endurance  that  he  was  always  called  *'The  Master." 
He  proved  his  mastership  in  every  emergency,  wheth- 
er of  contention,  oppression  and  persecution,  or  in 
severest  trials  and  sufferings.  Prof.  Browne  says 
of  his  meeting  the  *^Master"  in  April,  1890: 

"One  more  eloquent  of  speech,  more  ready  of  arg- 


59 


ument,  more  apt  of  illustration,  more  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  sacred  books  of  the  Jews,  the 
Christians  and  the  Mohammedans,  could,  I  should 
think,  scarcely  be  found  even  amongst  the  eloquent, 
ready  and  subtle  race  to  which  he  belongs.  These 
qualities,  combined  with  a  bearing  at  once  majestic 
and  genial,  made  me  cease  to  wonder  at  the  influerfce 
and  esteem  which  he  enjoyed  even  beyond  the  circle 
of  his  father's  followers.  About  the  greatness  of  this 
man  and  his  power  no  one  who  had  seen  him  could 
entertain  a  doubt." 

The  Declaration  of  the  Bab  and  the  birth  of  Ab- 
bas Effendi  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  of 
Persia  simultaneously  on  May  23rd,  1844,  were  the 
Forewords  of  the  coming  Revelation,  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  '*new  heaven,"  the  Spiritual  King- 
dom of  God  upon  earth,  and  the  unity  of  mankind 
in  the  universal  knowledge  of  One  God  and  in  the 
peace  of  obedience  to  his  declared  Will. 

The  declaration  of  telegraphic  success,  in  the 
words,  ''What  hath  God  wrought!" — flashing  out  in 
America  on  the  morning  of  May  24th,  1844,  was  the 
material  response  and  foreword  of  the  ''new  earth" 
to  be  created  for  the  physical  welfare  of  man  in  the 
millenial  age  about  to  appear.  The  spiritual  pro- 
clamation came  from  the  East;  the  material  answered 
from  the  West. 

That  material  prophecy  has  been  followed  by  such 
a  wealth  of  revealing  of  the  hidden  powers  and  gifts 
of  nature  that  man  is  overwhelmed  and  amazed,  and 


60 


cannot  yet  comprehend  but  a  small  portion  of  the 
values  already  discovered,  while  he  perceives  a  host 
of  new  wonders  pressing  upon  him.  Mr.  Thomas  A. 
Edison  says:  ^'Scientific  discoveries  are  coming  so 
thick  and  fast,  there  are  so  many  of  us  working  like 
beavers  at  them,  that  it  is  appalling  merely  to  think 
about  possibilities  in  the  future.  Everything,  any- 
thing is  possible;  the  world  is  a  vast  storehouse  of  un- 
discovered energy." 

The  spiritual  Forewords  were  followed  by  such  a 
spiritual  resurrection  and  devotion  as  the  world  has 
not  witnessed  before,  tens  of  thousands  of  saints 
gladly,  joyfully  suffering  every  indignity,  loss,  cruelty 
and  finally  martyrdom  for  their  pure  faith  in  the 
Word  of  God  and  their  love  for  him.  Then  came 
the  Great  Revelation,  Baha'o'llah,  the  Glory  of 
God,  opening  the  books  of  the  past,  renewing  the 
Word  of  God,  calling  all  mankind  to  the  table  of  the 
Lord  descending  from  the  heaven,  and  laying  the 
foundations  for  the  ascent  of  humanity  into  a  glorious 
manhood  of  Godly  knowledge,  salvation  and  life. 

And  now  the  Son  and  Servant,  Abdul-Baha,  is 
spreading  that  divine  Word  to  the  farthest  corners 
of  the  earth,  and  the  advancing  ones,  the  fearless 
lovers  of  Truth,  those  who  long  for  nearness  to  God 
and  obedience  to  his  Will,  are  gathering  to  that 
Standard  of  Peace  and  Love  from  every  religion,  land 
and  race.    "Glory  be  upon  the  people  of  Glory !" 


6i 


A   STATEMENT  BY   MIRZA   ASSAD^U^LLAH 

In  the  Name  of  our  Lord,  Baha'o'llah! 

God  is  the  One  who  inspireth  the  hearts  of  His  ser- 
vants with  that  which  he  willeth! 

He  Is  God! 

I  testify  with  my  being  and  identity  that  verily  He 
is  God.  There  is  no  God  but  Him.  He  hath  ever 
been  God,  and  will  be  forever  more  the  One,  the  Self- 
subsistent,  the  Eternal. 

And  I  testify  that  verily  the  Blessed  Perfection, 
His  Holiness,  Baha'o^llah^  is  no  other  than  the 
Most  Great  Manifestation — magnified  is  His  Gran- 
deur and  Glory ! — ^who  was  promised  in  all  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  that  the  most  great  Mystery  of  God, 
the  Branch  extended  from  the  Ancient  Root,  who 
hath  decorated  his  head  with  the  crown  of  Servitude 
and  named  himself  Abdul-Baha  (the  Servant  of 
Baha),  is  the  Successor  of  the  Blessed  Perfection,  the 
Center  of  his  Covenant,  and  the  Aim  of  his  Testa- 
ment. 

And  I  testify  that  the  hands  of  the  Cause  of  God, 
bearers  of  His  Ordinances  to  the  servants  and  preach- 
ers of  His  Manifestation  in  the  countries,  are  the 
saints  of  God  and  His  chosen  ones.  By  them  the 
standard  of  the  Cause  of  God  is  raised  and  His  Signs 

62 


are  promulgated  among  the  creatures.  They  are 
the  lamps  of  God  for  all  in  the  heaven  and  upon 
earth.  Upon  them  be  the  Glory  of  God,  His  Praise 
and  His  Mercy! 

O  ye,  our  brothers,  who  believe  in  God  and  in  the 
Books  of  all  His  religions!  Know  that  all  of  us  are 
unanimously  believing  in  the  Ancient  Entity,  the  Eter- 
nal God;  that  He  is  the  Creator  of  all  things;  that, 
verily.  He  hath  ever  been  and  will  continue  to  be  for- 
ever. 

We  also  believe  that  the  Prophets  and  the  Mani- 
festations of  God  were  all  bearers  of  the  Message  of 
God,  and  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  His  books. 
Accordingly^  our~^  belief  and  religion  is  that  all  the 
Prophets  are  of  necessity  as  one  light,  one  reality  and 
as  the  rays  of  one  sun,  even  though  they  may  appear 
to  be  different  each  from  the  other  and  each  as  a  dif- 
ferent person  talking  in  a  different  tongue.  There- 
fore, all  their  laws  and  books  must  needs  be  as  One 
Law  and  One  Book,  even  though  some  of  the  or- 
dinances be,  in  form,  contradictory  to  others ;  because 
all  of  them  have  spoken  on  the  part  of  God,  the 
One,  the  Unit,  and  all  the  Ordinances  and  Laws  are 
also  revealed  on  His  part.  This  assertion  is  in  no 
need  of  further  rational  proof. 

Now  we  submit  that  there  are  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures references  concerning  the  most  great  Manifes- 
tation, and  other  predictions  and  signs  regarding  the 
end  of  the  days.     These  prophecies  are  recorded  in 

63 


various  texts,  both  chronological  and  symbolical.  »  All 
the  nations  have  awaited  the  appearance  of  such 
signs,  and  the  coming  Manifestation  of  their  Promised 
One,  with  earnest  expectation.  Yet,  to  the  present 
day,  the  Sun  of  their  hopes  has  not  appeared  to  them 
from  the  horizon  of  their  expectation. 

As  to  the  honorable  and  faithful  Bahais,  they  be- 
lieve that,  verily,  the  promises  and  prophecies  given 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  become  fulfilled  during 
the  nineteenth  century  after  Christ  by  the  appearance 
of  the  Prince  of  the  Universe — the  most  great 
Baha'o^llah,  exalted  is  His  Glory!  This  claim, 
held  by  them,  is  the  best  tidings  to  the  expectant  ones 
and  a  great  joy  to  the  seekers.  But  only  those  can 
approve  it  who  are  endowed  with  a  pure  heart  and 
fortified  with  the  confirmation  of  God,  and  who 
hearken  with  sincerity  to  perfect  proofs,  to  decisive 
and  satisfactory  arguments. 

The  Bahai  people  is  ready  with  all  power  and 
strength  to  prove  its  claim  and  to  unfold  the  truth 
of  its  religion,  not  through  material  force,  but  by 
spiritual  power;  not  through  the  strength  of  this 
world,  but  by  that  of  the  Kingdom.  The  Bahais 
wage  war  with  all  the  armies  of  the  nations  of  the 
world,  not  with  swords  and  weapons,  but  through  the 
power  of  Utterance  and  the  unfoldment  of  the  mys- 
teries and  meanings  of  the  Divine  Words.  They 
subdue  the  cities  of  hearts,  not  with  assaults  of  ar- 
mies of  men,  but  rather  by  indisputable  proofs,  by 
love,  compassion  and  affection.     Their  sword  is  the 

64 


Word  of  God;  their  hosts  the  divine  Inspiration;  their 
ranks,  submissiveness,  humbleness,  meekness,  unsel- 
fishness and  pure  servitude  in  the  presence  of  every 
soul,  of  whatsoever  religious  nation  and  toward  every 
being  in  existence. 

Their  religion  is  to  serve  the  people  in  the  world; 
their  principle  is  obedience  to  government;  their 
teaching  is  summoning  people  unto  God,  the  True 
One;  their  rewards  and  recompense  come  only  from 
God;  they  freely  offer  to  people  the  Bread  of  Life 
and  freely  give  them  the  Water  of  Life.  Let  him 
who  hungers  and  thirsts  partake  freely  of  their  Ta- 
ble. Verily  the  doors  of  heaven  are  opened  by  the 
keys  of  the  Knowledge  of  His  Holiness,  Baha'o'- 
LLAH,  the  paradise  of  Enlightenment  is  decorated, 
the  rivers  of  Inner  Significances  are  flowing,  the  birds 
of  Sacred  Mysteries  are  soaring  around,  and  the 
Spiritual  Foods  are  prepared.  Blessed  are  they  who 
eat!     Blessed  are  they  who  drink! 


65 


Teachings 


TEACHINGS 

^^Baha'oUlah  made  the  utmost  efforts  to  educate 
his  people  and  incite  them  to  morality,  the  acquisition 
of  the  sciences  and  arts  of  all  countries,  kindly  deal- 
ing with  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  desire  for  the 
welfare  of  all  peoples,  sociability,  concord,  obedience, 
submissiveness,  instruction  of  children  (of  both  sexes 
equally) ,  production  of  what  is  needful  for  the  human 
race  and  inauguration  of  true  happiness  for  man- 
kind.    (T.  N.  p.  69.) 

BAHA'O'LLAH'S    DECLARATION* 

**I  was  asleep  on  my  couch;  the  Breaths  of  my 
Lord,  the  Merciful,  passed  over  me  and  awakened  me 
from  my  sleep,  and  commanded  me  to  proclaim  be- 
tween earth  and  heaven.  This  was  not  on  my  part 
but  on  His  part,  and  to  this  bear  witness  the  denizens 
of  the  realms  of  His  Power  and  His  Kingdom,  and 
the  dwellers  in  the  cities  of  His  Glory,  and  Himself 
the  Truth.  I  am  not  impatient  of  calamities  in  His 
way,  nor  of  afflictions  for  His  Love  and  at  His  good 
pleasure.  God  hath  made  afflictions  as  a  morning 
shower  to  His  green  pasture  and  as  a  wick  for  His 
Lamp  whereby  heaven  and  earth  are  illumined." 

*These  **Teachings"  are  translations  from  Persian  and  Arabic,  which  are 
ver3r  difficult  because  of  the  wide  differences  between  Orient  and 
Occident,  not  only  in  idioms  and  forms  of  'Expression  but  in  methods 
of  thought.  They  also  relate  to  the  loftiest  conceptions  of  divine 
subjects  and  are  for  earnest  consideration  rather  than  mere  "reading/* 
but  they  will  be  understood  by  those  who  study  them  with  the  heart, 

69 


**The  gales  of  the  All-knowing,  the  All-glorious, 
passed  by  me  and  taught  me  the  knowledge  of  what 
hath  been.    This  thing  is  not  from  me  but  from  One 

-pj^g  who  is  Mighty  and  All-knowing.      He 

Appoint-         bade  me  proclaim  between  the  earth  and 

^^^^  heaven,  and  for  this  hath  there  befallen 

me  that  whereat  the  eyes  of  those  who  know  over- 
flow with  tears.  I  have  not  studied  these  sciences 
which  men  possess,  nor  have  I  entered  the  colleges. 
Inquire  of  the  city  wherein  I  was,  that  thou  mayest  be 
assured  that  I  am  not  of  those  who  speak  falsely. 

"This  is  a  Leaf  which  the  Breezes  of  the  will  of  thy 
Lord,  the  Mighty,  the  Extolled,  have  stirred.     Can 
it  be  still  when  the  rushing  winds  blow  ?    No,  by  the 
The  Breeze      Lord    of    the    Names    and    Attributes ! 
of  the  Rather  do  they  move  it  as  they  list,  for 

Spirit  being  belongeth  not  to  nonentity  in  the 

presence  of  the  Eternal.  His  decisive  command  did 
come,  causing  me  to  speak  for  His  celebration 
amid  the  worlds.  Verily,  I  was  not  save  as  one 
dead  in  the  presence  of  His  Command,  the  hand  of 
thy  Lord,  the  Merciful,  turning  me.  Can  any  one 
speak  on  his  own  part  that  for  which  all  men,  whether 
high  or  low,  will  contradict  him?  No,  by  Him  who 
taught  the  Pen  eternal  mysteries,  save  him  who  is 
strengthened  by  the  Mighty  and  Strong  One."  (Tab. 
to  King  of  Persia) 

'*Glory  be  to  Thee,  O  God!  Thou  knowest  that 
my  heart  is  melted  about  Thy  matter,  that  my  blood 


70 


boils  in  my  veins  with  the  fire  of  Thy  Love,  and  that 
every  drop  thereof  crieth  unto  Thee  with  dumb  elo- 
quence, saying  :  O  Lord  Most  High!  Shed  me  on 
the  earth  in  Thy  way,  that  there  may  grow  from  it 
what  Thou  desirest  in  Thy  Books,  but  hast  concealed 
from  Thy  servants  save  such  as  have  drunk  from  the 
Fountain  of  knowledge  from  the  hands  of  Thy  grace 
and  the  Stream  of  wisdom  from  the  cup  of  Thy 
bounty.  Thou  knowest,  O  God,  that  in  every  action 
I  desire  nothing  save  Thy  affairs,  and  that  in  every 
utterance  I  seek  naught  but  Thy  celebration;  neither 
doth  my  Pen  move  except  I  desire  therein  Thy  good 
pleasure  and  the  setting  forth  of  what  Thou  hast  en- 
joined upon  me  by  Thy  authority. 

'^Thou  seest  me,  O  God,  confounded  in  Thine 
earth;  if  I  tell  what  Thou  hast  enjoined  on  me.  Thy 
creatures  turn  against  me;  if  I  forsake  what  Thou  hast 
enjoined  on  me  for  Thy  part,  I  should  be  deserving  of 
the  scourges  of  Thy  wrath,  and  far  removed  from  the 
gardens  of  Nearness  to  Thee.  No !  by  Thy  Glory,  I 
advance  toward  Thy  good  pleasure,  turning  aside 
from  what  the  souls  of  Thy  servants  desire;  accept- 
ing what  is  with  Thee  and  forsaking  what  would  re- 
move me  afar  off  from  the  retreats  of  nearness  to  Thee 
and  the  heights  of  Thy  Glory.  By  Thy  Glory!  for 
Thy  Love  I  flinch  not  from  aught,  and  for  Thy  good 
pleasure  I  fear  not  all  the  afflictions  in  the  world.  This 
is  but  through  Thy  Strength  and  Thy  Might,  Thy 
Grace  and  Thy  Favor;  not  because  I  am  deserving 
thereof."     (Tab.  to  King  of  Persia) 


71 


WORDS   OF  BAHA'O'LLAH 

*'When  a  seeker  Intends  to  turn  the  step  of  search 
and  journeying  into  the  path  of  the  Knowledge  of  the 
King  of  Pre-existence,  he  must  first  cleanse  and  puri- 
fy his  heart— which  is  the  place  of  the 
Purification  appearance  and  emanation  of  the  hidden 
mysteries  of  Divinity — from  all  the 
gloomy  dusts  of  acquired  learnings  and  from  the  illu- 
sions of  Satanic  appearances;  and  he  must  cleanse 
and  refine  his  breast — which  is  the  throne  for  the 
accession  and  establishment  of  the  love  of  the  Eter- 
nal Beloved." 

**He  must  likewise  sanctify  his  heart  from  attach- 
ment to  water  and  clay — that  is,  from  all  phantasmal 
forms  and  spectral  images — In  such  manner  that  no 

trace  of  love  or  hatred  may  remain 
Detachment     in  the  heart,   lest  that  love  may  cause 

him  to  incline  toward  a  direction  with- 
out guidance,  or  that  hatred  prevent  him  from  an- 
other direction;  just  as  in  this  day,  most  are  bereft 
of  the  immortal  Face  and  of  the  threshold  of  Mean- 
ings, because  of  these  two  tendencies,  and  are  grazing 
shepherdless  in  the  deserts  of  error  and  oblivion." 

"He  should  at  all  times  trust  in  God,  and  turn 
away  from  the  creatures;  be  severed  and  detached 
from  the  world  of  dust  and  united  with  the  Lord  of 
Lords;  not  preferring  his  own  self  before  anyone, 
but  cleansing  the  tablet  of  the  heart  from  pride  and 
vainglory;  attaching  the  heart  to  patience  and  self- 


72 


restraint;  observing  silence  and  avoiding  useless 
speech,  for  the  tongue  is  a  smouldering  fire  and 
loquacity  is  a  deadly  poison.  Material  fire  devours 
bodies,  but  the  fire  of  the  tongue  consumes  souls  and 
minds.  The  effect  of  the  former  vanishes  in  an  hour, 
but  the  latter  continues  for  a  century."     (Ig.  137-138) 

**0  people  of  Baha' !    Ye  are  dawning-places  of 
the  Love  and  day-springs  of  the  Favor  of  God.     De- 
file not  the  tongues  with  cursing  and  ex- 
ecrating  anyone    and   guard   your    eyes  ^ 
from  that  which  is  not  worthy.     Show 

forth  that  which  ye  possess Be  not  the  cause 

of  sorrow  (to  anyone)  how  much  less  of  sedition 
and  strife.''  (Ish.  38.) 

**He  should  consider  backbiting  as  error  and  never 
step  into  that  court,  for  backbiting  extinguishes  the 
brilliant  light  of  the  heart  and  numbs  the  life  of  the 
soul.  He  should  be  content  with  little  and  free  from 
avarice;  profiting  by  the  companionship  of  the  sev* 
ered  ones  and  regarding  seclusion  from  haughty  and 
wordly  people  as  a  benefit. 

*'At  dawn,  he  should  be  engaged  in  commemora- 
tions, seeking  for  that  Beloved  One  with  the  utmost 
earnestness  and  power;  consuming  heedlessness  with 
the  fire  of  love  and  praise;  passing  over  all  else  save 
God  with  the  swiftness  of  lightning;  bestowing  a  por- 
tion upon  the  destitute  and  not  refusing  benevolence 
and  favor  to  the  unfortunate. 

'*He  should  show  kindness  to  the  animals;  how 


73 


much  more  to  mankind,  and  (especially)  to  the  people 
of  the  Revelation;  refusing  not  his  life  for  the  Be- 
loved and  turning  not  away  from  the  True  One  when 
reproached  by  the  creatures.  He  should  not  wish  for 
others  what  he  doth  not  wish  for  him- 
Kindness  self,  nor  say  that  which  he  will  not  ful- 
fil; keeping  aloof  from  evil  doers  with 
all  determination  and  asking  the  forgiveness  of  God 
in  their  behalf;  condoning  the  sinners  and  despising 

them  not,  for  the  end  is  not  known In  brief, 

the  traveler  and  seeker  should  consider  all  else  save 
God  mortal  and  account  all  but  the  Adored  One 
as  nothing."      (Ighan  p.   i^S-isg.) 

**This  Day  is  the  Day  of  God;  God  alone  is  speak- 
ing in  it,  and  none  should  be  mentioned  but  Him. 

**Where  are  purified  eyes  of  clear  insight?  Where 

are  the  withdrawn  and  illumined  hearts?    This  Day 

is  the  day  of  eyes,  ears  and  hearts.    Beseech  God  that 

ye  may  possess  these  three,  that  ye  may  be  withdrawn 

from   the   veils   and   sanctified;   because 

yes,     ars      ^  ^j^j^^  ^^jj^  ^j^^  thinnest,  may  prevent  the 

eyes  from  seeing,  the  ears  from  hearing 
and  the  heart  from  understanding.  Ponder  carefully 
on  this  Supreme  Word  which  was  revealed  previous- 
ly by  the  Supreme  Pen,  'O  children  of  knowledge: 
the  physical  eye  will  be  prevented  from  seeing  the 
world  and  what  is  in  it  by  a  very  thin  lid ;  then  what 
will  be  the  result  if  the  veil  of  avarice  cover  the  eye 
of  the  heart'." 


74 


**Blessing  be  upon  the  soul  who  hastened  to  the 
ocean  of  the  Mercy  of  his  Lord,  the  ear  which  heard 
the  cry  of  the  Supreme  Pen,  the  eye  which  saw  His 
wonderful  Verses,  and  the  tongue  which  pronounced 
His  most  beautiful  praise!'' 

**Shouldst  thou  turn  thy  face  toward  all  the  things 
of  this  world  and  listen  with  a  spiritual  ear,  thou  wilt 
hear  them  exclaim :  'The  Ancient  hath  come !  The 
Lord  of  the  Most  Great  Glory  hath   appeared!'" 

"When  the  lamp  of  search,  effort,  longing,  fervor, 
love,  rapture,  attraction  and  devotion  is  enkindled 
in  the  heart,  and  the  breeze  of  love  blows  from  the 
direction  of  Unity,  the  darkness  of  error, 
doubt  and  uncertainty  will  be  dispelled  ^'^Lam^  *^^ 
and  the  lights  of  knowledge  and  assur- 
ance will  encompass  all  the  pillars  of  existence.  Then 
the  ideal  Herald  will  dawn  as  the  true  morn  from  the 
Divine  City  with  spiritual  glad-tidings  and  awaken 
the  heart,  soul  and  spirit  from  the  sleep  of  negligence 
with  the  trumpet  of  Knowledge.  Then  the  favors  and 
confirmations  of  the  eternal  Holy  Spirit  will  impart 
such  a  new  life  that  one  will  find  himself  the  possessor 
of  a  new  eye,  a  new  ear,  a  new  heart  and  a  new  mind, 
and  will  direct  his  attention  to  the  clear,  universal 
signs  and  to  the  hidden  individual  secrets.  With  the 
new  eye  of  God  he  will  see  a  door  open  in  every  atom 
for  attainment  to  the  stations  of  positive  knowledge, 
certain  truth  and  evident  light,  and  will  perceive  in 
all  things  the  mysteries  of  the  splendor  of  Oneness 


75 


and  the  traces  of  the  Manifestation  of  Eternity 

Every  atom  and  object  will  direct  him  to  the  Beloved 
and  to  the  Desired  One.  He  will  become  so  discern- 
ing that  he  will  distinguish  truth  from  falsehood  as 
the  sun  from  shadow."     (Ig.  139.  140,) 

**If  any  one  with  a  pure  heart  and  clear  intelligence 
thinks  about  that  which  hath  been  revealed  from  the 
Supreme  Pen,  he  will  at  once  say  with  the  tongue  of 
honesty  that  now  the  truth  is  evident. 

^^Beware  lest  the  matters  of  this  world  prevent 
thee  from  coming  to  the  Owner  of  Names.  By  the 
Life  of  God !  that  which  is  upon  the  earth  shall  van- 
ish, and  naught  else  remain  save  what  hath  been  re- 
vealed from  the  heaven  of  the  Will  of  thy  Lord,  the 
Precious."      (Tablet.) 

*'By  Him  who  caused  all  else  to  pronounce  the 
praise  of  Himself,  the  world  and  what  is  seen  therein 
— to  the  one  who  hath  clear  insight — ^will  never  be 
equal  to  one  word  of  the  Words  of  God,  because  the 
former  is  forever  and  ever  transitory  and  evanescent, 
but  the  Word  of  God  is  eternal  and  everlasting,  as  is 
the  eternity  of  the  Names  and  Attributes. 

*'By  the  Sun  of  the  Horizon!     If  all  the  world 
were   of  gold  and  silver,   the   soul,   which  is  really 
growing  in  the  Kingdom  of  faith,  will  never  turn 
The  toward    it.       If    any    one    findeth    the 

Ordinances      sweetness  of  that  which  hath  been  men- 
of  God         tioned,  then  he  will  not  act  against  the 
Ordinances  of  God,  and  will  turn  to  nothing  but  God. 

76 


Also,  he  will  see  with  a  clear  insight  the  evanescense 
of  the  material  world  and  his  heart  will  adhere  to 
the  everlasting  Kingdom. 

'*God  manifested  Himself  to  teach  the  people  truth, 
sincerity,  religion,  faith,  submission,  reconcihation, 
compassion,  courtesy,  prudence  and  piety,  and  to 
adorn  themselves  with  the  garments  of  good  qualities 
and  holy  deeds.  Say,  O  people:  be  merciful  and  do 
not  desecrate  the  holy  ordinances  of  God  with  your 
impure  suppositions,  evil  thoughts  and  delusions.  We 
ask  God  to  lead  all  people  to  the  Truth,  to  assist 
them  that  they  may  return  to  him,  and  to  strengthen 
them  to  serve  his  Cause,  to  spread  his  Words  and  to 
act  according  to  the  Ordinances  of  their  Ancient 
Master." 

THE   WORD   OF  GOD 

^^Hearken  unto  the  exhortations  of  the  Unique 
Friend  with  the  ear  of  the  soul.  O  people  of  God! 
the  Word  of  God  is  like  unto  a  tree:  its  planting 
ground  must  be  the  hearts  of  the  people;  cultivate  it 
through  the  river  of  Wisdom  and  Utterance,  so  that 
its  roots  may  become  firm  and  its  branches  surpass 
the  firmament."     (Tab.  of  W.  34.) 

^^Hearken  to  the  Voice  of  the  Compassionate  Coun- 
sellor, which  is  raised  without  veil  or  covering  before 
the  faces  of  kings  and  subjects,  and  invite  all  the 
people  of  the  world  to  the  Lord  of  Pre-existence. 
This  is  that  Word,  from  the  horizon  of  which  the 
Orb  of  Grace  is  shining  and  gleaming!"     (Tar.  16.) 


77 


*The  world  hath  been  kindled  by  the  Word  of  thy 
Lord,  the  Shining  Splendor.  It  is  softer  than  the  east 
wind,  and  hath  appeared  in  the  form  of  Man,  and  by 
it  God  hath  quickened  His  advancing  servants.  In 
the  inner  part  of  this  Word  there  is  a  water  whereby 
God  hath  purified  the  hearts  of  those  who  came  unto 
Him,  and  who  were  negligent  in  mentioning  aught 
else  save  Him,  and  thus  He  brought  them  nigh  to 
the  Outlook  of  His  Great  Name.  We  have  caused 
the  water  to  descend  upon  the  dead,  and  they  arose, 
looking  toward  the  shining  and  brilliant  Beauty  of 
God. 

**The  heart  of  the  world  is  aglow  with  the  Word 
of  God.  It  is  pitiable  should  ye  not  avail  yourselves 
of  this  warmth."     (Tablet) 

'The  Word  which   the    Most    Faithful     (God) 

wrote  hath  appeared.     It  hath  indeed  descended  into 

the  form  of  Man  in  this  time.     Blessed 

The  Word      j^  ^^^  l^^.^  ^^^  j^  ^^e  Father !    He  hath 

Inc3.rri3.te 

come  with  His  most  mighty  Power 
among  the  nations:  turn  toward  Him,  O  concourse 
of  the  good!  The  Father  hath  come,  and  that 
which  hath  been  promised  unto  you  in  the  Kingdom 
is  accomplished.  This  is  a  Word  which  was  con- 
cealed behind  the  veil  of  Might,  and  when  the  prom- 
ised time  came  it  shone  forth  from  the  horizon  of  the 
(Divine)   Will  with  manifest  signs." 

^'Consider  how  great  is  the  value  and  how  para- 
mount the  importance  of  the  Verses  (The  Word)  in 


78 


which  God  hath  completed  His  perfect  argument,  con- 
summate proof,  dominant  power  and  penetrating  will. 
In  the  declaration  of  His  proof,  that  King  of  Unity 
hath  not  conjoined  anything  with  them,  for  among 
proofs  and  evidences  Verses  are  like  unto  the  sun, 
while  all  others  are  as  stars.  To  the  people  they  are 
everlasting  proof,  fixed  argument,  and  shining  light 
from  the  presence  of  that  Ideal  King.  No  excellence 
equals  them  and  nothing  precedes  them.  They  are 
the  treasury  of  divine  pearls  and  the  depository  of  the 
mysteries  of  Unity.  They  are  the  strong  thread,  the 
firm  rope,  the  most  secure  handle  and  inextinguishable 
light.  Through  them  flows  the  river  of  the  Divine 
Knowledges  and  bursts  the  fire  of  the  consummate 
Wisdom  of  the  Eternal,  This  is  a  fire  from  which 
two  effects  proceed  at  the  same  time;  it  creates  the 
heat  of  love  within  the  people  of  faith,  and  produces 
the  cold  of  heedlessness  within  the  people  of  hatred. 
O  friend,  we  must  not  depart  from  the  command  of 
God,  but  acquiesce  and  submit  to  that  which  he  hath 
appointed  to  be  His  Proof."     (Ig.  i^6.  147.) 

"Verily,  the  Spirit  of  Truth  hath  come,  to  guide 
you  into  all  Truth.     Verily,   He  speaketh  not  unto 
you  from  himself,  nay,  but  rather  from  before  the 
All-knowing  and  Wise.  Say:  He  is  the 
One  whom  the  Son  hath  glorified,  and       '^^^^^p^',^^ 

11  •      1  TT«     /-•  r       At         1  ^^  Truth 

hath  upraised  His  Command.    Abandon 

that  which  is  before  you,  O  people  of  the  earth,  and 

take  that  which  is  commanded  you  from  before  the 


79 


Powerful,  the  Faithful.  Purify  your  ears  and  turn 
your  minds  to  hear  the  sweet  Call  which  hath  arisen 
from  the  direction  of  Sinai,  the  abode  of  your  Most 
Glorious  Lord.  Verily,  He  attracts  you  unto  a  station 
wherein  you  will  behold  the  Lights  of  the  Face,  which 
hath  shone  forth  from  this  brilliant  Horizon." 

**Say:  Verily  He  hath  surely  shone  forth  from  the 
direction  of  the  Orient,  and  His  Signs  have  appeared 
in  the  Occident.  Think  thereupon,  O  people,  and  be 
not  like  unto  those  who  neglected  the  Remembrancer 
when  He  came  unto  them  from  before  the  Mighty, 
the  Laudable.  Awake  by  the  Breezes  of  God !  Verily, 
they  have  blown  in  the  world.  Blessing  to  whosoever 
hath  found  their  fragrance  and  is  of  the  assured." 

^'Blessed  is  whosoever  is  illumined  by  the  Sun  of 
My  Word.  Blessed  is  whosoever  adorned  his  head 
with  the  wreath  of  My  Love."  '^Blessed  is  he  who 
was  assured  in  My  Word  and  stood  up  among  the 
dead  for  My  Remembrance."  ^^Blessed  is  he  who 
cut  himself  from  all  other  than  Me,  and  soared  in 
the  ether  of  My  Love,  entered  My  Kingdom  and 
perceived  the  dominions  of  My  Might,  drank  the 
Kawther  (fountain)  of  My  Favor  and  the  Salsabil 
(stream)  of  My  Grace,  was  apprised  of  My  Com- 
mand and  of  whatsoever  was  hidden  in  the  treasuries 
of  My  Words,  and  shone  forth  from  the  horizon  of 
Inner  Significances  in  My  Commemoration  and  My 
Praise.  Verily,  he  is  of  Mine.  May  My  Mercy, 
Grace,  Favor  and  Glory  be  unto  him!"  (Lawh-El- 
Jkdas.) 

80 


THE  SUPREME  PEN 

*Traise  be  to  God!  The  True  One — exalted  is 
His  Glory! — hath  opened  the  doors  of  the  minds 
and  souls  through  the  key  of  the  Supreme  Pen. 
Every  one  of  the  revealed  Verses  is  a  manifest  door 
to  the  appearance  of  spiritual  virtues  and  holy  deeds." 
(Tab.  of  W.  27.) 

'^Through  the  motion  of  the  Supreme  Pen  a  new 
life  of  significances  is  breathed  into  the  body  of  words 
by  the  command  of  the  Ideal  Commander,  and  the 
effects  thereof  are  visible  and  manifest  in  all  the 
things  of  the  world."     (Tab,  of  W,  23.) 

**The  Supreme  Pen  is  that  Pen,  from  the  treasury 
of  which  the  gems  of  Wisdom  and  Utterance  and  the 
arts  of  all  the  world  have  appeared  and  become 
manifest."     (Ish.  11.) 

**We  exhort  them  to  equity,  justice,  trustworthiness 
and  honesty  and  to  that  by  reason  of  which  the  Word 
of  God,  as  well  as  their  own  stations,  shall  be  exalted 
among  men ;  and  I  am  the  One  who  adviseth  in  Truth, 
whereunto  testifieth  He  from  whose  Pen  the  running 
water  of  Mercy  and  from  whose  Utterance  the  Foun- 
tain of  Life  hath  flowed  for  the  people  of  the  world. 
Exalted  is  this  Most  Great  Bounty  and  glorious  is 
this  manifest  Gift!"     (PF.  of  P.  65.) 

THE   DAY    OF   REVEALING 

'*This  is  the  Day  wherein  the  Speaker  of  the  Mount 
is  established  upon  the  Throne  of  Manifestation,  and 


81 


the  people  have  resurrected  before  God,  the  Lord  of 
the  creatures.  This  Is  the  Day  wherein  the  earth 
hath  revealed  her  news  and  uncovered  her  treasures, 
the  seas  their  pearls,  the  'tree'  Its  fruits,  the  sun 
Its  effulgence,  the  moons  their  lights;  the  heaven  Its 
stars,  the  'hour'  Its  tokens,  the  'resurrection'  Its  ma- 
jesty, the  'pens'  their  traces  and  the  spirits  their  arcana. 
Blessed  Is  whosoever  knoweth  Him!"     (Ish.  ii.) 

"Shouldst  thou  make  the  mirror  of  the  heart  pure 
and  clear  from  the  dust  of  prejudice,  thou  wilt  com- 
prehend all  the  symbols  In  the  sayings  of  the  perfect 
Word  of  Divinity  In  every  Manlfesta- 
Severance  tlon  and  be  Informed  of  the  mysteries 
of  Knowledge.  But,  unless  thou  destroy- 
est  with  the  fire  of  Severance  the  veils  of  learning, 
which  are  conventional  among  the  servants,  thou  wilt 
not  attain  to  the  brilliant  morn  of  the  Ideal  Knowl- 
edge." (Ig.  49.) 

"In  this  Day  a  great  banquet  Is  celebrated  In  the 
Supreme  Concourse;  for  all  that  was  promised  In 
the  Divine  Books  hath  appeared.  This  Is  the  Day  of 
the  Most  Great  Rejoicing!  All  must  direct  them- 
selves to  the  court  of  Nearness  with  the  utmost  joy, 
happiness,  exultation  and  gladness,  and  deliver  them- 
selves from  the  fire  of  remoteness."     (W.  of  P.  60.) 

"Joy  unto  him  who.  In  this  Day,  casts  away  that 
which  Is  possessed  by  the  people  and  holds  fast  to 
that  which  Is  commanded  on  the  part  of  God,  the 


82 


King  of  Names  and  the  Creator  of  things."     (JV.  of 
P.  72.) 

*^If  the  spiritual  and  divine  eye  of  man  be  opened, 
he  will  see  that  nothing  exists  without  the  appear- 
ance of  the  splendor  of  that  Ideal  King.     For  thou 
dost  perceive  that  all  contigent  and  cre- 
ated things  express  the  manifestation  and  \-h 
emanation  of  that  Ideal  Light,  and  dost 
behold  the  doors  of  the  Divine  Rizwan   (Paradise) 
opened  in  all  things  for  seekers  to  enter  the  cities  of 
Intelligence  and  Wisdom,  and  attained  ones  to  pass 
into  the  gardens  of  Knowledge  and  Power.    In  every 
garden  the  bride  of  significances  is  seen  seated  in  the 
chambers  of  words  with  full  adornment  and  grace." 

DECLARATION   OF   GOD'S   SINGLENESS 

**God  singly  and  alone  abideth  in  His  own  place 
which  is  holy  above  space  and  time,  mention  and  ut- 
terance, sign,  description  and  definition,  height  and 
depth.''     (T.  N.  148.) 

**We  bear  witness  that  there  is  no  God  but  Him; 
everlastingly  He  was,  and  there  was  nothing  beside 
Him ;  everlastingly  He  will  be,  even  as  He  hath  been. 
Exalted  is  the  Merciful  One  above  this — that  the 
hearts  of  the  people  of  wisdom  should  ascend  unto 
the  comprehension  of  His  Nature,  or  that  the  under- 
standing of  such  as  inhabit  the  worlds  should  rise  to 
the  knowledge  of  His  Essence.  Holy  is  He  above  the 
knowledge  of  all  save  Himself,  and  exempt  is  He 


83 


from  the  comprehension  of  what  Is  beside  Him ;  verily, 
In  Eternity  of  Eternities  was  He  Independent  of  the 
worlds."     (T.  N.  397.) 

*'It  Is  evident  to  the  possessors  of  Knowledge  and 
Illumined  minds  that  the  Unseen  Divinity  and  Essence 
of  Oneness  hath  been  holy  beyond  emanation  and  ap- 
pearance, ascent  and  descent,  Ingress  and  egress;  Is 
exalted  above  the  praise  of  every  pralser  and  the  com- 
prehension of  every  comprehender.  He  hath  been 
and  Is  everlastingly  hidden  In  His  Own  Essence  and 
win  be  eternally  concealed  from  eyes  and  sights  In 
His  Own  Entity.  'The  sight  comprehendeth  Him  not, 
but  He  comprehendeth  the  sight ;  He  Is  the  Gracious, 
the  Wise'."    (Ig.  69.) 

"God,  In  His  Essence,  Is  sanctified  above  ascent  or 
descent,  entrance  or  exit.  He  hath  been,  and  will  be 
everlastingly  Independent  of  (or  free  from)  the  at- 
tributes of  the  creatures;  no  one  hath  known  Him, 
and  on  soul  hath  found  out  His  Substance.  All  the 
sages  are  bewildered  In  the  valley  of  His  Knowledge, 
and  all  the  saints  are  perplexed  In  their  endeavor  to 
comprehend  His  Essence.  He  Is  purified  from  being 
comprehended  by  all  men  of  comprehension,  and  Is  ex- 
alted above  the  knowing  of  men  of  knowledge." 
(Pers.  S.  V.  29.) 

"The  True  One  is  sanctified  above  all,  (but)  His 
Signs  are  manifest  In  all  things.  The  signs  are  from 
Him — not  He  Himself — and  all  of  them  are  record- 
ed and  visible  in  the  volume  of  the  world.    The  plan 


84 


of  the  world  Is  a  great  book;  every  one  endowed  with 
perception  can  grasp  (therefrom)  that  which  shall 
enable  him  to  attain  to  the  Right  Path  and  the  'Great 
Message.' 

^'Consider  the  rays  of  the  sun;  Its  lights  have  en- 
compassed the  world,  but  these  splendors  are  from 
It  and  from  Its  manifestations;  they  are  through  It- 
self but  are  not  Itself  (I.  e.,  Its  essence  or  substance). 
Whatever  Is  seen  on  the  earth  is  expressive  of  His 
power,  knowledge  and  grace;  while  He  (God)  is 
sanctified  from  all.  His  Holiness  Christ  says :  'Thou 
hast  hidden  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent, 
and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes.'  "     (W.  of  P. 

46.) 

DECLARATION  OF  GOD'S  MANIFESTATIONS 

''All  my  limbs  testify  that  there  is  no  God  but  Him, 
and  that  those  whom  He  quickened  with  the  Truth 
and  sent  for  (men's)  guidance  are  the  Manifesta- 
tions of  His  Most  Comely  Names,  the  Day-springs  of 
His  Supreme  Attributes  and  the  recipients  of  His 
revelation  In  the  realm  of  creation;  by  whom  the 
standard  of  the  (faith  of  the)  Unity  is  set  up,  and 
the  sign  of  renunciation  becomes  apparent;  and  by 
whom  every  soul  taketh  a  course  towards  the  Lord  of 
the  Throne."     (T.  N.  397.) 

"Man,  the  most  noble  and  perfect  of  the  creatures, 
is  a  mightier  evidence  and  greater  expression  than  the 
other  visible  things.  The  most  perfect,  superior  and 
excellent  of  men  are  the  Manifestations  of  the  Sun 


85 


of  Truth.''  'These  Holy  Temples  are  the  Eternal 
Primal  Mirrors  which  express  the  Invisible  of  the 
Invisibles  and  all  His  Names  and  Attributes,  such  as 
Knowledge,  Power,  Dominion,  Grandeur,  Mercy, 
Wisdom,  Glory,  Generosity  and  Beneficence."     (Ig. 

72>) 

''I  testify,  O  my  God,  that  this  is  a  Day  wherein 
Thy  proof  hath  been  completed  and  Thy  evidence  be- 
came manifest;  Thy  Signs  have  descended;  Thy  To- 
kens have  shone  forth ;  Thy  Face  hath  gleamed ;  Thy 
Argument  been  perfected;  Thy  Mercy  hath  preceded 
the  beings,  and  the  Sun  of  Thy  Bounty  hath  shone  in 
such  wise  that  Thou  hast  made  known  the  Manifesta- 
tion of  Thyself,  the  treasury  of  Thy  Science  and  the 
Day-spring  of  Thy  Greatness  and  Might.  He  is  the 
One,  whose  Covenant  Thou  hast  administered  to  who- 
soever is  created  in  the  kingdoms  of  heaven  and  earth, 
in  the  realms  of  Command  and  Creation." 

"I  testify  that  by  Him  the  Supreme  Pen  hath 
moved,  by  His  mention  the  Tablets  have  been  adorned 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Names,  by  Him  Thy  Breezes  have 
spread  and  the  fragrances  of  Thy  Garment  have  been 
diffused  between  the  earth  and  heaven."      (Tablet) 

*T  testify  that,  verily,  there  is  no  God  save  Him! 
and  He  who  hath  come  is  verily  the  Hidden  Mystery, 
the  Concealed  Secret,  the  Most  Great  Book  for  the 
nations,  and  the  Heaven  of  Beneficence  to  the  world. 
He  is  the  Mighty  Sign  among  mankind  and  the  Dawn- 
ing-place  of  Highest  Attributes  in  the  world  of  eman- 


86 


atlon.  Through  Him  hath  appeared  that  which  was 
concealed  from  all  eternity  and  was  hidden  from  men 
of  discernment.  Verily,  He  is  the  One  whose  Mani- 
festation was  announced  by  the  Books  of  God  in 
former  and  later  times. 

'Whoever  acknowledges  Him,  His  signs  and  His 
evidences,  hath  verily  acknowledged  that  which  the 
Tongue  of  Grandeur  hath  uttered  before  the  crea- 
tion of  heaven  and  earth  and  before  the 
appearance  of  the  Kingdom  of  Names.  Acknowledg- 
Through  him  the  sea  of  Knowledge  hath 
moved  among  mankind  and  the  running  water  of 
Wisdom  hath  flowed  from  the  presence  of  God,  the 
King  of  Days.  Blessed  is  the  discerning  one  who 
witnessed  and  perceived,  the  hearing  one  who  heard 
His  sweet  voice,  and  the  hand  that  took  hold  of  the 
Book  through  the  powder  of  its  Lord,  the  King  of  this 
world  and  of  the  world  to  come!"     (JV.  of  P.  '/o.) 

**  The  True  One — glorious  is  His  Glory! — for  the 
showing  forth  of  the  gems  of  ideals  from  the  mine 
of  man,  hath,  in  every  age,  sent  a  trusted  one.     The 
primary  foundation  for  the  faith  of  God 
and  the  religion  of  God  is  this,  that  they  ^"^^ 

should  not  make  diverse  sects  and  vari- 
ous paths  the  cause  and  reason  of  hatred."  "These 
principles  and  laws  and  firm,  sure  paths  appear  from 
one  dawning-place  and  shine  from  one  day-spring, 
and  these  diversities  were  out  of  regard  for  the  re- 
quirements of  the  time,  season,  ages  and  epochs." 


87 


*We  have  sent  One  whom  We  have  strengthened 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  that  He  may  give  you  glad  tid- 
ings of  this  Light,  which  hath  shone  forth  from  the 
Horizon  of  the  Will  of  your  Lord,  the  Exalted,  the 
Most  Glorious,  and  whose  effects  have  appeared 
(also)  in  the  West,  that  ye  may  turn  unto  Him  in 
this  Day  which  God  hath  made  the  choicest  of  the 
days,  wherein  the  Merciful  hath  revealed  Himself  to 
whosoever  is  in  the  heavens  and  earth."  ''The  Fra- 
grances of  the  Merciful  have  diffused  their  sweet  odors 
over  the  beings;  blessed  is  he  who  findeth  their  per- 
fume and  advanceth  unto  them  with  a  clean  heart. 
Adorn  thy  temple  with  the  embroidered  garment  of 
My  Name,  thy  tongue  with  My  celebration  and  thy 
heart  with  My  Love,  the  Precious,  the  Powerful. 
We  have  not  desired  for  thee  aught  save  that  which 
is  better  for  thee  than  all  thou  hast  in  thine  own  pos- 
session and  (what  is)  in  the  whole  treasury  of  the 
earth.  Verily,  thy  Lord  is  the  All-wise,  the  All- 
knowing." 

''Behold!  This  is  the  Sun  of  the  Cause,  which 
hath  shone  from  the  Horizon  thereof.  Blessed  is 
God,  who  hath  appeared  with  the  Truth  in  manifest 
dominion."     (Tablet) 

"Do  ye  object  to  the  One  who  hath  produced  unto 
you  the  evidences  of  God,  His  proofs,  arguments  and 
signs?  They  are  not  of  his  own  accord,  but  from 
the  Presence  of  Him  who  hath  delegated  and  sent 
Him  with  the  Truth,  and  made  Him  the  Lamp  of 


88 


the  world."  '*If  my  offense  is  caused  by  the  exalta- 
tion of  the  Word  of  God  and  the  Manifestation  of 
His  Command,  verily  will  I  be  willing  to  be  the  First 
of  Culprits,  and  will  never  consent  to  exchange  this 
guilt  even  for  the  possessions  of  the  Kingdoms  of  the 
earth  and  heavens." 

**Among  mankind  are  some  who  say  that  this 
Servant  desireth  naught  save  the  perpetuation  of  his 
name,  and  others  say  that  he  desireth  the  world  for 
himself,  notwithstanding  that  I  have  not  found  dur- 
ing the  days  of  my  life  a  place  of  safety,  such  that  I 
might  set  my  feet  therein,  but  was  ever  overwhelmed 
in  the  floods  of  affliction,  whereof  none  is  aware  save 
God;  verily  He  knoweth  what  I  say!" 

"Doth  he,  who  regardeth  not  his  life  (as  assured) 
for  less  than  a  moment,  desire  the  world?  I  marvel 
at  those  who  speak  after  their  lusts  and  wander  madly 
in  the  desert  of  passion  and  desire." 

'^Shouldst  thou  drink  the  pure  wine  of  Life  from 
the  cups  of  the  Words  of  thy  Lord,  the  Merciful, 
thou  shalt  attain  to  a  station  whereby  thou  wilt  cut 
thyself  from  that  which  thou  hast  and  cry  in  My 
Name  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  world.  Wash 
thyself  with  the  water  of  devotion  for  the  sake  of 
this  Celebration,  which  hath  shone  forth  from  the 
horizon  of  creation;  verily,  it  shall  purify  thee  from 
the  dust  of  the  world."     (Tab.  to  Napoleon  III.) 

'^Consider!  Reffect  on  those  people  of  old  who 
cast  the  Signs  of  God  behind  their  backs  and  pro- 


89 


nounced  sentence  with  evident  injustice  against  the 
Manifestations  of  the  Command.  How  many 
learned  ones  lamented  at  the  separation,  and  were  ex- 
pecting and  supplicating  day  and  night  to  be  honored 
by  a  Manifestation  of  a  Name  of  the  Names;  but 
when  the  Creator  of  heaven  came,  they  turned  away 
from  Him,  and  denied  as  a  falsehood  the  Argument 
of  God  and  His  Evidence  and  practiced  oppression 
against  Him,  whereat  the  eyes  of  the  Messengers  have 
overflowed  with  tears.  As  to  thee,  grieve  not  for 
anything,  and  be  resigned  to  God  in  all  aspects.  Ver- 
ily, He  heareth  and  seeth,  and  He  is  the  Listener,  the 
Answerer !"     (Tablet.) 

THE  PURPOSE   OF   MANIFESTATION 

*'We  desire  but  the  good  of  the  world  and  the  hap- 
piness of  the  nations;  that  all  nations  shall  become  one 
in  faith  and  all  men  as  brothers;  that  the  bonds  of 
affection  and  unity  between  the  sons  of  men  shall  be 
strengthened;  that  diversity  of  religion  shall  cease  and 
differences  of  race  be  annulled.  So  it  shall  be;  these 
fruitless  strifes,  these  ruinous  wars  shall  pass  away, 
and  the  *Most  Great  Peace'  shall  come."  ''These 
strifes  and  this  bloodshed  and  discord  must  cease,  and 
all  men  be  as  one  kindred  and  one  family."     (T.  N,) 

*'It  has  been  our  aim  to  uplift  men  through  exalted 
Words  unto  the  Supreme  Horizon  and  prepare  them 
to  hearken  unto  that  which  conduces  to  the  sanctifying 
and  purifying  the  people  of  the  world  from  the  strife 
and  discord  which  results  from  differences  in  religions 


90 


(or  sects) .  Whereunto  My  Heart  and  My  Pen,  My 
Manifest  and  My  Hidden  (Being)  bear  witness.  God 
willing,  they  all  will  turn  unto  the  treasuries  which  are 
deposited  within  themselves."     (W.  of  P.  58.) 

'*0  beloved!  In  this  day  the  door  of  heaven  is 
opened  by  the  key  of  the  Godly  Name,  the  ocean  of 
Generosity  is  manifested  and  is  rolling  before  your 
faces,  and  the  Sun  of  Providence  is  shining  and 
gleaming;  do  not  exclude  yourselves;  do  not  destroy 
your  most  precious  time  through  the  speech  of  this 
or  that  person.  Confirm  the  back  of  energy  and  do 
your  best  in  training  the  people  of  the  world.  Do  not 
consider  that  the  Cause  of  God  is  a  cause  of  opposi- 
tion, hatred  and  wrath.  The  Tongue  of  Greatness 
saith  that  what  is  intended  by  that  which  is  revealed 
from  the  heaven  of  Will  in  this  Holy,  Supreme  Mani- 
festation, is  to  unite  the  people  with  love  and  friend- 
ship toward  all.  The  people  of  Baha  who  have  drunk 
of  the  pure  wine  of  Reality  must  associate  with  all 
the  world  with  the  perfect  spirit  of  joy  and  fragrance, 
and  remind  them  of  that  which  is  for  the  benefit  of 
all.  This  is  the  commandment  of  the  Wronged  One 
to  His  saints  and  sincere  ones. 

**0  people  of  the  earth !  Make  not  the  religion  of 
God  a  cause  for  variance  among  you.  Verily,  of  a 
truth,  it  was  revealed  for  the  purpose  of  unifying  the 
whole  world.  Fear  God,  and  be  not  of  the  ignorant. 
Blessed  is  he  who  loves  the  world  simply  for  the  sake 
of  the  Face  of  his  Generous  Lord." 


91 


**We  did  not  come  except  for  the  purpose  of  unit- 
ing whosoever  is  upon  the  earth  and  bringing  them 
into  perfect  harmony  and  agreement."     (Tablet) 

^Xook  on  the  world  as  a  temple  (body)  of  a  man 
attacked  by  disease,  and  whose  recovery  depends  upon 
the  union  of  that  which  is  in  it;  therefore  agree  upon 
what  We  have  established  for  you,  and  follow  not 
the  ways  of  the  disunited."  '^Verily,  your  God,  the 
Merciful,  loveth  to  see  whosoever  is  in  the  world  as 
one  soul  and  one  temple;  therefore  avail  yourselves 
of  the  Bounty  of  God  and  His  Mercy  in  these  days, 
the  like  of  which  the  eye  of  creation  hath  never 
seen.  Blessed  is  he  who  casteth  away  that  which  he 
hath  for  the  sake  of  desiring  that  which  is  on  the  part 
of  God.  Verily,  We  bear  witness  that  he  is  of  the 
successful."      (Tab.   to  Napoleon  IIL) 

*'The  development  of  the  world,  the  training  of 
nations,  the  tranquillity  of  the  servants  and  the  secur- 
ity of  the  people  of  all  lands  have  been  due  to  the 
Divine  Precepts  and  Ordinances.  Religion  is  the 
greatest  cause  for  (the  appearance  of)  this  great  gift. 
It  bestows  the  cup  of  vitality,  confers  immortal  life 
and  imparts  eternal  benefit  (to  the  people)."     (Ish. 

39') 

*^The  faith  of  God  and  religion  of  God  hath  been 
revealed  and  manifested  from  the  heaven  of  the  Will 
of  the  King  of  Pre-existence  only  for  the  union  and 
concord  of  the  dwellers  upon  earth;  make  it  not  a 
cause  of  discord  and  dissension." 


92 


'^Religious  hatred  and  rancor  is  a  world-consum- 
ing fire,  and  the  quenching  thereof  most  arduous,  un- 
less the  hand  of  Divine  Might  give  men  deliverance 
from  this  unfruitful  calamity.'' 

'*0  people  of  the  world,  ye  are  all  the  fruit  of  one 
tree  and  the  leaves  of  one  branch.  Walk  with  perfect 
charity,  concord,  affection  and  agreement.'' 

*'In  whatever  place  we  may  be  and  whatever  befall 
us,  the  saints  must  gaze  with  perfect  steadfastness  and 
confidence  towards  the  Supreme  Horizon  and  occupy 
themselves  in  the  reformation  of  the  world  and  the 
education  of  the  nations.  What  hath  befallen  and 
shall  befall  hath  been  and  is  an  instrument  and  means 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  Word  of  Unity.  Take 
hold  of  the  Command  of  God  and  cling  thereto; 
verily,  it  hath  been  sent  down  from  beside  a  wise 
Ordainer."     (T.  N.  73.) 

*^With  perfect  compassion  and  mercy  have  we  guid- 
ed and  directed  the  people  of  the  world  to  that  where- 
by their  souls  shall  be  profited.  I  declare  by  the  Sun 
of  Truth,  which  hath  shone  forth  from  the  highest 
horizons  of  the  world,  that  the  people  of  Baha'  had 
not  and  have  not  any  aim  save  the  prosperity  and 
reformation  of  the  world  and  the  purifying  of  the 
nations."     (T.  N.  74,) 

INSTRUGTIOISIS 

*'0  people  of  God!  Be  not  occupied  with  your- 
selves. Be  intent  on  the  betterment  of  the  world  and 
the  training  of  nations.    The  betterment  of  the  world 


93 


can  be  accomplished  through  pure  and  excellent  deeds 
and  well  approved  and  agreeable  conduct.  The  helper 
of  the  Cause  Is  Deeds  and  its  assistant  is  Good  Char- 
acter. O  people  of  BahaM  Hold  fast  unto  Piety  T' 
(Tah.  of  W.  2S.) 

*'In  this  Manifestation,  victorious  hosts  are  worthy 
deeds  and  morals,  and  the  leader  and  commander  of 
these  hosts  is  Godlike  piety.  This  comprehends  all 
and  rules  over  all."     (Ish,  35.) 

'*0  ye  wise  men  among  nations!  Turn  your  eyes 
away  from  foreignness  and  gaze  unto  Oneness;  hold 
fast  unto  the  means  which  conduce  to  the  tranquillity 
and  security  of  the  people  of  the  whole  world.  This 
span-wide  world  is  but  one  native  land  and  one  local- 
ity. Abandon  that  glory  which  is  the  cause  of  dis- 
cord, and  turn  unto  that  which  promotes  harmony. 

'^To  the  people  of  Baha'  glory  is  in  knowledge, 
good  morals  and  wisdom — not  in  native  land  or  sta- 
tion. O  people  of  the  earth:  appreciate  the  worth  of 
this  Heavenly  Word,  for  it  is  like  unto  a  ship  for  the 
sea  of  Knowledge,  and  is  as  the  sun  to  the  universe  of 
Perception."     (W.  of  P.  53.) 

*Xet  not  a  man  glory  in  this,  that  he  loves  his 
country ;  let  him  rather  glory  in  this,  that  he  loves  his 
kind."     (T.  N.  xi.) 

**Well  is  it  with  him  who  is  adorned  with  the  decor- 
ation of  manners  and  morals." 

'The  Pen  of  admonition  exhorteth  the  friends  and 
enjoineth  on  them  charity,  pity,  wisdom  and  gentle- 


94 


ness.     One  holy  action  maketh  the  world  of  earth 
highest  paradise."     (T.  N,  y6.) 

**0  ye  rich  people !  When  ye  see  a  poor  man  do 
not  grow  proud  and  haughty  and  despise  him,  but 
think  from  what  ye  were  created,  for  each  one  was 
created  from  despised  water.  Be  truthful,  whereby 
your  temples  will  be  decorated,  your  names  elevated 
and  your  positions  exalted  among  the  people,  and  you 
will  have  before  God,  the  Truth,  a  great  reward." 

**0  saints  of  God!  We  enjoin  on  you  chastity, 
faithfulness,  godliness,  sincerity  and  purity.  Lay 
aside  the  evil  and  adopt  the  good.  This  is  that  where- 
unto  ye  are  commanded  in  the  Book  of  God,  the 
Knowing,  the  Wise.  Well  is  it  with  those  who  prac- 
tice." 

**0  saints  of  God!  Regard  the  horizons  of  up- 
rightness and  be  quit,  severed  and  free  from  what  is 
beside  this.  There  is  no  strength  and  no  power  save 
in  God."     (T.  N.  8 1.) 

**0  people  of  God!  I  exhort  ye  to  Courtesy  (or 
Reverence).  Courtesy  is,  in  the  primary  station,  the 
lord  of  all  the  virtues.  Blessed  is  he  who  is  illumined 
with  the  light  of  Courtesy  and  is  adorned  with  the 
mantle  of  Uprightness."     (Tab.  of  W ,  2J.) 

**Verily,  through  meekness  man  is  elevated  to  the 
heaven  of  power;  and  again  pride  degrades  him  to  the 
lowest  station  of  humilation  and  abasement."  (W^ 
of  P.  40.) 


95 


*'The  possessors  of  Justice  and  Equity  occupy  the 
highest  station  and  loftiest  rank:  the  lights  of  Right- 
eousness and  Piety  radiate  and  shine  from  such  souls. 
It  is  hoped  that  nations  and  countries  may  not  be  de- 
prived of  the  lights  of  these  two  orbs:"     (Tar.  8.) 

* 'Trustworthiness  is  the  greatest  door  to  the  se- 
curity and  tranquility  of  mankind.  The  stability  of 
every  affair  depends  upon  it,  and  the  worlds  of  honor, 
glory  and  affluence  are  illuminated  by  its  light." 
Trustworthiness  is  the  best  garment  for  your  tem- 
ples and  the  most  splendid  crown  for  your  heads." 
(Tar.  g.) 

**The  creatures  were  created  through  love;  all  are 
commanded  to  live  in  friendship  and  unity.  Now 
look  to  this  carefully,  and  mention  this  blessed  Word 
which  hath  shone  forth  from  the  horizon  of  the 
mouth  of  the  King  of  Unity.  Do  not  allow  the  op- 
portunity to  fall  from  your  grasp,  and  spend  not  your 
time  uselessly.  I  declare  by  the  Ocean  of  the  Godly 
Knowledge  that  a  moment  in  these  days  is  more  ex- 
cellent than  past  centuries  and  ages:  to  this  beareth 
witness  your  Lord,  the  Chooser,  in  the  Generous 
Station." 

"Ye  must  burn  up  the  veils  by  the  flame  of  cer- 
tainty and  illumine  the  hearts  and  minds  by  the  light 
of  faith.  Exert  your  intelligence  that  ye  may  drink 
from  the  stream  of  assurance  which  is  overflowing 
from  the  right  of  the  Divine  Throne.  The  one  who 
will  gain  this  is  of  the  people  of  eternity." 

96 


**Blessed  Is  a  heart  which  is  quickened  by  a  Breath 
of  God  and  a  tongue  that  Is  adorned  with  His  praise 
throughout  the  worlds !  Be  kindled  by  this  fire  which 
is  burning  in  the  world,  that  through  thee  whosoever 
is  in  this  earth  shall  be  enkindled.  Think  not  that  it 
is  a  fire,  rather  It  is  Light,  and  its  traces  shall  surround 
whosoever  is  In  all  countries  and  regions.  Be  tran- 
quil and  confident  through  the  Bounty  of  God  and 
His  Mercy."     (Tablet) 

**We  enjoin  upon  the  servants  of  God  to  be  patient, 
self-constrained,  tranquil  and  grave,  that  the  Cause 
of  God  may  become  manifest  and  prevalent  between 
the  earth  and  heaven.  The  Glory  of  God  is  upon 
them  who  have  cast  aside  imaginations  and  adopted 
for  themselves  a  way  to  God,  the  Owner  of  the  Safe 
Retreat."     (Tablet.) 

**Verily,  he  who  doth  not  move  by  the  Breath  of 
God  In  His  Day,  he  is  indeed  dead  before  God,  the 
King  of  Names  and  Attributes.  Arise  from  the 
graves  of  lusts  and  advance  to  the  Kingdom  of  your 
Lord,  the  Ruler  of  the  throne  and  the  earth,  that  ye 
may  see  that  which  was  promised  unto  you  on  the 
part  of  your  Lord,  the  All-knowing. 

"Do  ye  imagine  that  ye  will  be  profited  by  what 
ye  have?  It  will  be  possessed  by  some  one  in  your 
stead,  and  ye  shall  return  to  the  dust  without  find- 
ing any  one  to  succor  or  help.  Of  what  use  is  a  life 
that  is  ruled  by  death,  or  a  duration  which  vanisheth, 


97 


or  a  grace  that  changeth?  Set  aside  what  ye  have 
and  advance  to  the  Bounty  of  God,  which  hath  been 
revealed  in  this  Wonderful  Name."  (Tab.  to  Em* 
per  or  of  Russia.) 

**Be  generous  when  in  affluence  and  grateful  when 
thou  art  poor.  Be  faithful  to  the  rights  of  others.  Let 
thy  face  be  bright  and  open,  and  be  a  treasure  to  the 
poor  and  needy.  Be  an  admonisher  to  the  rich,  and 
an  answerer  to  those  who  call  thee. 

^Tulfill  the  promise  thou  givest  and  in  all  matters 
be  just  and  equitable.  Be  silent  among  multitudes  of 
men,  and  upright  In  giving  decisions.  Be  humble  to- 
ward men,  be  a  lamp  In  darkness,  a  comforter  In 
troubles,  a  sea  to  the  thirsty,  a  refuge  to  the  afflicted, 
a  helper,  assistant  and  succor  to  the  oppressed. 

**In  actions  and  deeds  be  virtuous  and  pious.  Be  a 
home  to  the  stranger,  a  healing  to  the  sick,  a  strong- 
hold to  him  who  asks  for  help,  a  sight  to  the  blind,  a 
path  to  him  who  goeth  astray.  Be  thou  the  beauty  of 
the  face  of  truth,  an  adornment  to  the  temple  of  faith- 
fulness, a  throne  to  the  house  of  character  and  man- 
ners, a  spirit  to  the  body  of  the  world,  a  banner  to  the 
hosts  of  justice,  and  a  light  to  the  horizon  of  good- 
ness. 

*'Be  thou  a  dew  to  the  fertile  and  rich  ground,  an 
ark  to  the  sea  of  science,  a  star  In  the  heaven  of  gen- 
erosity, a  diadem  to  the  head  of  wisdom,  a  white  spot 


98 


on  the  forehead  of  time,  and  a  fruit  of  the  trees  of 
humbleness.  I  ask  God  to  protect  thee  from  the  fire 
of  hatred  and  the  chill  of  enmity,  for  He  is  the  Near, 
the  Answerer."     (Tah.  to  Badia) 

**Be  patient  in  misfortunes,  and  contented  in  all 
aspects.  In  the  truth  be  firm  and  unwavering;  be 
quick  in  doing  good  deeds ;  be  assiduous  toward  God ; 
be  a  veiler  of  people's  faults;  be  an  avoider  of  lust. 
Be  a  runner  to  the  Truth;  a  cloud  (of  bounty)  to 
the  servants  of  God;  be  kindly  to  thy  debtors;  be  a 
forgiver  to  the  transgressors;  be  a  fulfiUer  of  the 
Covenant  and  steadfast  to  the  Cause.  Thus  doth  the 
Oppressed  One  admonish  thee.  Be  pious  and  virtu- 
ous before  God.  He  admonisheth  thee  to  follow 
fidelity,  truth  and  faithfulness.  They  are  incumbent 
upon  thee,  they  are  incumbent  upon  thee."  (Tab,  to 
Zta.) 

**Every  soul  is  commanded  by  God  to  deliver  the 
Truth  to  the  people  who  will  surely  be  attracted  by 
the  words  of  such  teachers,  if  they  be  truth  seekers; 
otherwise  his  words  will  not  have  the  least  effect  in 
the  hearts  of  the  worshippers  of  God.  Thus  doth 
God  teach  you ;  verily.  He  is  the  Pardoner,  the  Merci- 
ful! Those  who  do  wrong  and  oppress  others  and 
at  the  same  time  command  the  people  to  be  just,  will, 
by  words  coming  out  of  their  mouths,  be  accused  of 
lying  and  declared  to  be  liars  by  the  people  of  the 
Kingdom  and  by  those  who  go  about  the  Beauteous 
Throne  of  thy  Lord."     (Tab.  to  Napoleon  III.) 


99 


THE  HEARTS 

^^God  hath  ever  regarded  the  hearts  of  (His)  ser- 
vants, and  this  too  is  by  reason  of  (His)  most  great 
favor,  that  perchance  mortal  souls  may  be  cleansed 
and  sanctified  from  earthly  states  and  may  attain  unto 
everlasting  places."     (T.  N.  115*) 

**Today  let  every  soul  desire  to  attain  the  highest 
station.  He  must  not  regard  what  is  in  him  but  what 
is  in  God.  It  is  not  for  him  to  regard  what  shall 
advantage  himself,  but  that  whereby  the  Word  of 
God,  which  must  be  obeyed,  shall  be  upraised.  The 
heart  must  be  sanctified  from  every  form  of  selfish- 
ness and  lust,  for  the  weapons  of  the  unitarians  and 
the  saints  were  and  are  the  fear  of  God.''     (T,  N. 

76.) 

*'That  which  God — glorious  is  His  mention ! — hath 
desired  for  Himself  is  the  hearts  of  His  servants, 
which  are  treasures  of  praise  and  love  of  the  Lord 
and  stores  of  divine  knowledge  and  wisdom.  The 
will  of  the  Eternal  King  hath  ever  been  to  purify  the 
hearts  of  (His)  servants  from  the  promptings  of  the 
world  and  what  is  therein,  so  that  they  may  be  pre- 
pared for  illumination  by  the  effulgences  of  the  Lord 
of  the  Names  and  Attributes. 

Therefore,  must  no  stranger  find  his  way  into  the 
city  of  the  heart,  so  that  the  Incomparable  Friend 
may  come  unto  His  own  place;  that  is,  the  effulgence 
of  His  Names  and  Attributes,  not  His  Essence — ex- 
alted is  He! — for  that  Peerless  King  hath  been  and 


100 


will  be  holy  for  everlasting 'above  ascent' or  ciesceht?' 
(T.  N.  113.  114.) 

"O  my  friends !  Hearken  unto  the  advice  of  one 
who  exhorteth  you  sincerely  for  the  sake  of  God. 
Verily,  He  hath  created  you  and  manifested  unto  you 
that  which  will  elevate  you,  profit  you  and  make 
known  unto  you  His  Right  Path  and  Great  Message. 
In  truth.  Piety  is  the  first  leader  among  the  armies  of 
the  Lord,  and  its  hosts  are  pleasing  morals  and  pure 
deeds.  By  these  are  the  cities  of  hearts  and  minds 
conquered  in  all  ages  and  centuries  and  the  standards 
of  victory  and  triumph  are  planted  on  the  loftiest 
places."     (Ish.  28.) 

**Thou  hast  indeed  created  men  to  know  Thee  and 
to  serve  Thy  Cause,  whereby  their  stations  may  be 
exalted  in  Thy  earth  and  their  souls  be  uplifted 
through  that  which  Thou  hast  revealed  in  Thy  Epis- 
tles, Books  and  Tablets  (The  Word)."     (Ish.  16.) 

**Were  ye  to  taste  a  little  of  the  clear  water  of 
Divine  Knowledge,  ye  would  know  that  the  real  life 
is  the  life  of  the  heart  and  not  the  life  of  the  body, 
for  both  animals  and  men  share  in  the  life  of  body. 
But  this  Life  is  assigned  to  possessors  of  brilliant 
souls  who  drink  from  the  ocean  of  faith  and  partake 
of  the  fruit  of  assurance.  This  life  is  not  followed 
by  death  nor  this  Immortality  by  mortality,  as  it  Is 
said :  *A  true  believer  is  alive  both  in  this  world  and 
the  world  to  come.'  "     (Ig.  85,) 

**By  *llfe'   and  *death'   recorded  In   the   Books  is 


lOI 


meaM  life'th^bugfi- :felA'and  death  through  unbelief. 
It  is  owing  to  lack  of  comprehension  of  this  meaning, 
that  in  every  Manifestation  the  generality  of  people 
refused  to  believe;  were  not  directed  to  the  Sun  of 
Guidance  and  did  not  follow  the  Eternal  Beauty." 

**0  people  of  the  earth  !  The  Day  of  Victory  hath 
come,  and  the  Speaker  of  the  Mount  hath  appeared 
with  signs,  the  like  of  which  could  not  be  produced 
by  whosoever  is  in  the  heaven  and  earth.  We  have 
forbidden  any  to  work  sedition  and  strife,  and  ordain 
that  victory  be  gained  only  through  commemoration 
and  explanation.  Thus  hath  the  matter  been  decreed 
from  before  the  Merciful  in  His  evident  and  clear 
Book."     (Tablet.) 

*^0  people  of  Baha !  Subdue  the  cities  of  the 
hearts  by  the  sword  of  wisdom  and  demonstration; 
those  who  argue  in  accord  with  their  own  desire  and 
wish,  they  are  in  obvious  wrong.  Say,  the  Sword  of 
Wisdom  IS  hotter  than  the  summer  and  sharper  than 
the  sword  of  iron,  if  ye  are  of  those  who  know; — 
draw  out  that  sword  in  My  Name  and  Power;  then 
invade  with  It  the  cities  of  the  hearts  of  those  who 
are  fortifying  themselves  in  the  fortress  of  Desire." 

*^Every  one  who  desireth  victory  must  first  subdue 
the  city  of  his  own  heart  with  the  sword  of  spiritual 
truth  and  of  the  Word,  and  must  protect  it  from  re- 
membering aught  beside  God :  afterwards  let  him  turn 
his  regards  towards  the  cities  of  (other's)  hearts. 
This  is  what  is  meant  by  Victory!'  "     (T,  N.  115.) 


102 


KNOWLEDGE 

* 'Knowledge  is  divided  into  two  kinds — divine 
knowledge  and  satanic  knowledge.  One  appears 
from  the  inspiration  of  the  Ideal  King;  the  other 
emanates  from  the  imaginations  of  darkened  souls. 
The  teacher  of  one  is  the  Exalted  God,  and  the  teacher 
of  the  other  is  sensual  suggestion.  The  explanation 
of  one  is — Tear  God,  and  God  will  teach  you,'  and 
the  definition  of  the  other  is — 'Knowledge  is  the  great- 
est veil.'  The  fruits  of  one  tree  are  patience,  longing, 
wisdom  and  love;  the  fruits  of  the  other  are  pride, 
vainglory  and  conceit.  No  scent  of  these  obscure 
learnings,  the  darkness  of  which  hath  encompassed 
all  regions,  is  inhaled  from  what  the  Masters  of  Utter- 
ance have  explained  concerning  the  meaning  of  Knowl- 
edge. The  only  fruit  of  this  tree  is  injustice  and 
iniquity,  and  it  yieldeth  no  crop  but  malice  and  hatred. 
Its  fruit  is  a  deadly  poison  and  its  shadow  is  a  des- 
tructive fire."  (Ig.  50.) 

''Knowledge  is  one  of  the  greatest  benefits  of  God. 

To  acquire  knowledge  is  incumbent  on  all In 

this  Day  the  mysteries  of  this  earth  are  unfolded  and 
visible  before  the  eyes,  and  the  pages  of  swiftly  ap- 
pearing newspapers  are  indeed  the  mirror  of  the 
world;  they  display  the  doings  and  actions  of  the  dif- 
ferent nations." 

"Do  not  consider  that  we  have  revealed  unto  you 
ordinances,  but  rather  that  we  have  opened  the  seal 
of  the  sealed  wine  with  the  fingers  of  might  and 
power." 

103 


**Did  men  but  know  what  pure  wine  of  the  mercy 
of  their  Lord,  the  Mighty,  the  All-knowing,  was  be- 
neath the  seal,  they  would  certainly  cast  aside  re- 
proach and  seek  to  be  satisfied  by  this  servant;  but 
now  have  they  veiled  me  with  the  veil  of  darkness, 
which  they  have  woven  with  the  hands  of  doubts 
and  fancies."     (T.  N,  77.  148.) 

ARTS,  CRAFTS  AND  SCIENCES 

*^Knowledge  is  like  unto  wings  for  the  being  (of 
man),  and  is  as  a  ladder  for  ascending.  To  acquire 
knowledge  is  incumbent  on  all,  but  of  those  sciences 
which  may  profit  the  people  of  the  earth,  and  not 
such  sciences  as  begin  in  mere  words  and  end  in  mere 
words.  The  possessors  of  sciences  and  arts  have  a 
great  right  among  the  people  of  the  world.  Indeed 
the  real  treasury  of  man  is  his  knowledge.  Know- 
ledge is  the  means  of  honor,  prosperity,  joy,  gladness, 
happiness  and  exultation."     (W.  of  P.  76.) 

"O  people  of  Baha'!  The  reflective  faculty  (or 
the  mind)  is  the  depository  of  crafts,  arts  and  sciences. 
Exert  yourselves,  so  that  the  gems  of  knowledge  and 
wisdom  may  proceed  from  this  ideal  mine  and  conduce 
to  the  tranquillity  and  union  of  the  different  nations 
of  the  world."     (W.  of  P.  38,) 

OCCUPATIONS 

'*It  is  incumbent  upon  every  one  of  you  to  engage 
in  some  one  occupation,  such  as  arts,  trades,  and  the 
like.  We  have  made  this,  your  occupation,  identical 
with  the  worship  of  God,  the  True  One.     Reflect,  O 


104 


people,  upon  the  mercy  of  God  and  upon  His  favors; 
then  thank  Him  In  mornings  and  evenings. 

**Waste  not  your  time  in  idleness  and  indolence,  and 
occupy  yourselves  with  that  which  will  profit  your- 
selves and  others  beside  yourself.  Thus  hath  the 
matter  been  decreed  in  this  Tablet  from  the  Horizon 
from  which  the  Sun  of  Wisdom  and  Divine  Utterance 
is  gleaming. 

^^The  most  despised  of  men  before  God  is  he  who 
sits  and  begs.  Cling  unto  the  rope  of  means,  relying 
upon  God,  the  Causer  of  causes.  Every  soul  who 
occupies  himself  in  an  art  or  trade — this  will  be  ac- 
counted an  act  of  worship  before  God.  Verily,  this 
is  from  no  other  than  His  great  and  abundant  favor." 
(G.  T.  89.) 

RELIGION 

**The  people  of  wealth  and  men  of  honor  and  pow- 
er must  have  the  best  possible  regard  for  the  respect 
of  Religion.  Religion  is  a  manifest  light  and  a  strong 
fortress  for  the  protection  and  tranquillity  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  world.  For  the  fear  of  God  commands 
people  to  do  that  which  Is  just  and  forbids  them  that 
which  is  evil.  If  the  lamp  of  Religion  remain  con- 
cealed, agitation  and  anarchy  would  prevail,  and  the 
orb  of  justice  and  equity  and  the  sun  of  peace  and 
tranquillity  would  be  withheld  from  giving  light. 
Every  man  of  discernment  testifieth  to  that  which  Is 
(here)  mentioned."     (Ish,  33.) 

**AgaInst  the  sword  may  the  Word  arise;  against 


105 


fierceness,  patience;  in  place  of  oppression,  sub- 
mission, and  at  the  time  of  martyrdom,  resigna- 
tion."   (T.N.  78.) 

**Blessed  is  the  prince  who  succors  a  captive,  the 
rich  one  who  favors  the  needy,  the  just  man  who  se- 
cures the  right  of  a  wronged  one  from  the  oppressor, 
and  the  trustee  who  performs  what  he  is  commanded 
on  the  part  of  the  Pre-existent  Commander."     (W. 

of  p.  55-) 

EDVCATIOTsl 

*^The  Supreme  Pen  enjoineth  upon  all  to  instruct 
and  educate  the  children.  It  is  decreed  that  every 
father  must  educate  his  sons  and  daughters  in  learning 
and  in  writing,  and  also  in  that  which  hath  been  or- 
dained in  the  Tablet.  He  who  neglects  that  which 
hath  been  commanded  (in  this  matter) ,  if  he  is  rich,  it 
is  incumbent  on  the  trustees  (of  the  House  of  Justice) 
to  recover  from  him  the  amount  required  for  the  ed- 
ucation of  the  children;  otherwise  (i.  e.,  if  the  parent 
is  not  capable)  the  matter  shall  devolve  on  the  House 
of  Justice.  Verily,  We  have  made  it  (the  House  of 
Justice)   an  asylum  for  the  poor  and  needy."     (Ish. 

37-) 

**He  who  educates  his  son,  or  any  other's  children, 

it  is  as  though  he  hath  educated  one  of  My  children. 
Upon  such  an  one  be  My  Baha  (Glory),  My  Prov- 
idence and  My  Mercy,  which  hath  embraced  all  in 
the  world!"     (Ish.  37.) 

**Through  union  the  region^  of  the  world  have 


106 


ever  been  illuminated  with  the  light  of  the  (Divine) 
Cause.  The  greatest  means  (for  this  end)  is  that 
the  peoples  should  be  familiar  with  each  other's  writ- 
ing and  language. 

^^The  trustees  of  the  House  of  Justice  must  select 
one  tongue  out  of  the  present  languages,  or  a  new 
language,  and  likewise  select  one  among  the  various 
writings,  and  teach  them  to  the  children  in  the  schools 
of  the  world,  so  that  the  whole  world  may  thereby 
be  considered  as  one  native  land  and  one  part."     (Ish. 

36-) 

^^The  learned  who  practice  (their  knowledge)  and 
the  wise  who  act  justly,  they  are  as  the  spirit  to  the 
body  of  the  world.  Well  is  it  with  that  learned  man 
whose  head  is  adorned  with  the  crown  of  justice  and 
whose  body  glorieth  in  the  ornament  of  honesty." 
(T.  N.  75-) 

**The  heaven  of  Divine  Wisdom  is  illumined  and 
shining  with  two  orbs — Consultation  and  Kindness. 

**The  tent  of  the  order  of  the  world  is  hoisted  and 
established  on  two  pillars — Reward  and  Retribution." 
(Ish.  34.) 

**The  righteous  have  always,  through  good  words, 
taken  possession  of  the  gardens  of  existence."  (Tab. 
of  World.  23.) 

PRECEPTS 

*  We  have  said — and  Our  saying  is  truth — *  Consort 
with  all  the  (people  of)  religions  with  joy  and  fra- 
grance.'    Through  this  Utterance  whatever  was  the 


107 


cause  of  foreignness,  discord  and  disunion,  has  been 
removed."     (Tab.  of  World.  28.) 

**The  language  of  kindness  is  the  lodestone  of 
hearts  and  the  food  of  the  soul;  it  stands  in  the  re- 
lation of  ideas  to  words  and  is  an  horizon  for  the 
shining  of  the  sun  of  Wisdom  and  Knowledge." 

"O  Son  of  Man!  If  thou  lookest  towards  Mercy, 
regard  not  that  which  benefits  thee,  and  hold  to  that 
which  will  benefit  the  servants  (mankind).  If  thou 
lookest  towards  Justice,  choose  thou  for  others  what 
thou  choosest  for  thyself."     (W.  of  P.  40.) 

**In  every  country  or  government,  where  any  of  this 
community  reside,  they  must  behave  toward  that  gov- 
ernment with  faithfulness,  trustfulness  and  truthful- 
ness."    (G.  T.  85.) 

**If  ye  be  slain  for  His  good  pleasure,  verily  it  is 
better  for  you  than  that  ye  should  slay."  (T.  N. 
115') 

"God  hath  prohibited  unto  men  the  drinking  of 
wine."     (T.  N.  133.) 

**It  is  not  allowable  to  declare  one's  sins  and  trans- 
gressions before  any  man,  inasmuch  as  this  has  not 
been,  nor  is  conducive  to  securing  God's  forgiveness 
and  pardon.  At  the  same  time,  such  confession  before 
the  creatures  leads  to  one's  humiliation  and  abase- 
ment, and  God — exalted  in  His  Glory! — doth  not 
wish  for  the  humiliation  of  His  servants.  Verily,  He 
Is   Compassionate   and   Beneficent!       A  sinner  must 


108 


(privately)  between  himself  and  God  beg  for  mercy 
from  the  Sea  of  Mercy  and  ask  forgiveness  from  the 
Heaven  of  Beneficence."     (G.   T.  8y.) 

TO   CHRISTIANS 

^*0  Concourse  of  the  Son  (Christians)  !  Are  ye 
hidden  from  Myself  because  of  My  Name?  What 
maketh  ye  to  doubt  ?  Ye  have  called  for  your  Lord, 
the  Self-dependent,  night  and  day,  and  when  He  hath 
come  from  the  Heaven  of  Pre-existence  in  His  Great- 
est Glory,  ye  have  not  approached  Him,  and  were  of 
the  heedless.  Then  consider  those  who  turned  away 
from  the  Spirit  (Christ)  when  He  came  to  them  with 
manifest  power.  How  many  of  the  Pharisees  were 
abiding  in  the  Temples  in  His  Name,  and  were  en- 
treating because  of  His  separation!  But  when  the 
Gate  of  Union  was  opened  and  the  Light  shone  forth 
from  the  Day-spring  of  Beauty,  they  disbelieved  in 
God,  the  Exalted  and  the  Great,  and  did  not  attain 
to  His  Visitation — after  having  been  promised  there- 
unto in  the  Book  of  Isaiah  as  well  as  in  the  Books  of 
the  Prophets  and  the  Apostles.  No  one  of  them  ap- 
proached the  Day-spring  of  Favor  except  those  who 
were  of  no  account  among  the  people,  but  in  whose 
names  all  the  lords  of  evident  honor  boast  at  the  pres- 
ent day.  Remember,  the  most  learned  Doctors  of 
His  country  in  His  age  condemned  Him  to  be  mur- 
dered, whilst  one  who  was  a  catcher  of  fishes  believed 
in  Him.  Be  astonished  thereat,  and  be  of  those  who 
remember." 


109 


** Verily,  We  have  come  unto  you,  and  have  endured 
the  abominations  of  the  world  because  of  your  salva- 
tion. Do  ye  flee  from  Him  who  hath  redeemed  His 
Soul  for  your  lives?  Fear  God,  O  Concourse  of  the 
Spirit,  and  follow  not  all  learned  men  who  are  afar. 
Do  ye  suppose  that  He  hath  desired  His  soul,  after 
being  at  every  instant  under  the  swords  of  the  enemy; 
or  that  He  desired  the  world,  after  being  imprisoned 
in  the  most  ruined  of  cities?  Then  judge  thereupon 
and  follow  not  the  oppressors. 

**Open  the  doors  of  your  minds:  verily,  the  Spirit 
standeth  behind  them.  What  maketh  ye  to  keep  afar 
from  Him  who  hath  desired  to  bring  ye  nigh  to  the 
Shining  Abode?  Say:  Verily,  We  have  opened  unto 
you  the  Gates  of  the  Kingdom;  are  ye  closing  the 
door  of  your  houses  before  My  Face?  Verily,  this  is 
naught  but  a  great  error.  Say :  Verily,  He  hath  come 
from  Heaven  as  He  came  from  it  the  first  time:  be- 
ware lest  ye  contradict  that  which  He  saith,  as  the 
nations  before  you  contradicted  that  which  He  said. 
Likewise  I  make  known  unto  you  the  truth,  if  you 
are  of  those  who  know." 

**Verily,  the  Spirit  of  Truth  hath  come  to  guide  you 
into  all  Truth.  Verily,  He  speaketh  not  unto  you 
from  himself;  nay,  but  rather  from  before  the  All- 
knowing,  the  Wise.  Say:  He  is  the  one  whom  the 
Son  hath  glorified  and  hath  upraised  His  Command ! 
Abandon  that  which  is  before  you,  O  people  of  the 
earth,  and  take  that  which  is  commanded  you  from 
before  the  Powerful,  the  Faithful.     Purify  your  ears 


no 


and  turn  your  minds  to  hear  the  sweet  Call  which  hath 
arisen  from  the  direction  of  Sinai,  the  abode  of  your 
Most  Glorious  (Abha)  Lord.  Verily,  He  attracteth 
you  unto  a  station  wherein  you  will  behold  the  Lights 
of  the  Face,  which  have  shone  forth  from  this  bril- 
liant Horizon." 

"Say:  Verily,  He  hath  shone  forth  from  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Orient,  and  His  Signs  have  appeared  in 
the  Occident.  Think  thereupon,  O  people,  and  be 
not  like  unto  those  who  neglected  the  Remembrancer 
when  He  came  unto  them  from  before  the  Mighty, 
the  Laudable.  Awake  by  the  Breezes  of  God !  Ver- 
ily, they  have  blown  in  the  world !  Blessing  to  who- 
soever hath  found  their  fragrance,  and  is  of  the  as- 
sured." 

**Blessed  is  whosoever  is  illumined  by  the  Sun  of 
My  Word!" 

"Blessed  is  whosoever  adorned  his  head  with  the 
wreath  of  My  Love !" 

"Blessed  is  he  who  was  assured  in  My  Word,  and 
stood  up  among  the  dead  for  My  Remembrance!" 

"Blessed  is  he  who  was  attracted  by  My  Melodies 
and  tore  the  coverings  by  My  Power!" 

"Blessed  is  he  who  cut  himself  from  all  other  than 
Me,  soared  in  the  ether  of  My  Love,  entered  My 
Kingdom  and  perceived  the  dominions  of  My  Might, 
drank  the  Kawther  (Fountain)  of  My  Favor  and  the 
Salsabil  (Spring)  of  My  Grace,  was  apprised  of  My 
Command  and  of  whatsoever  was  hidden  in  the  treas- 


III 


uries  of  My  Words,  and  shone  forth  from  the  Hori- 
zon of  Inner  Significance  in  My  Commemoration  and 
My  Praise !  Verily,  he  is  of  Mine.  May  My  Mercy, 
Grace,  Favor  and  Glory  be  unto  him !"  (From  Lawh^ 
elAkdas—The  Holy  Tablet,) 

'^O  people  of  the  Son!  We  have  sent  unto  you 
John  (the  Baptist)  another  time  (the  Bab).  Verily, 
he  crieth  in  the  wilderness  of  the  Beyan  (the  Bab's 
writings),  *0  creation  of  beings!  Make  clear  your 
eyes.  The  day  of  vision  and  meeting  hath  come  nigh. 
Prepare  ye  the  way,  O  people  of  the  Gospel!  The 
day  wherein  shall  come  the  Lord  of  Glory  hath  come 
nigh;  prepare  to  enter  into  the  Kingdom.'  "  (Tab. 
to  Pope) 

'The  breath  of  God  (The  Word)  is  diffused 
throughout  the  world,  because  the  Desired  One  hath 
come  in  His  Most  Great  Glory.  Lo !  Every  stone 
and  clod  crieth,  'The  Promised  One  hath  appeared 
and  the  Kingdom  is  to  God,  the  Powerful,  the  Mighty, 
the  Forgiver !'  Beware  lest  sciences  prevent  thee  from 
the  King  of  what  is  known,  or  the  world  from  Him 
who  created  it  and  left  it.  Arise  in  the  Name  of  thy 
Lord,  the  Merciful,  among  the  assembly  of  beings  and 
take  the  Cup  of  Life  in  the  hand  of  assurance;  drink 
therefrom  (or  not)  ;  then  give  to  drink  to  those  of 
the  people  of  (different)  religions  who  advance. 

''Verily,  He  hath  come  from  heaven  another  time, 
as  He  came  from  it  the  first  time;  beware  lest  ye  op- 
pose Him  as  the  Pharisees  opposed  Him  without  evi- 


112 


dence  or  proof.  On  His  right  side  fioweth  the  river 
of  Grace,  and  on  His  left  side  the  sweet  waters  of 
Justice;  before  Him  go  the  angels  of  Paradise  with 
the  standards  of  signs.  Beware  lest  names  withhold 
you  from  God,  the  Maker  of  the  earth  and  the  heav- 
ens."    (Tab.  to  Pope,) 

''O  people  of  the  earth !  Advance  toward  Him 
who  hath  advanced  toward  you,  for  verily  He  is  the 
Face  of  God  among  you;  His  Evidence  is  in  your 
midst  and  His  Proof  unto  you,  and  He  hath  come  to 
you  with  Signs  (the  Word),  the  like  of  which  the 
most  learned  have  failed  to  produce.  The  Tree  of 
Mount  Sinai  (Moses)  speaketh  in  the  bosom  of  the 
world,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  (Christ)  crieth  among  the 
nations:  *Lo!  The  Desired  One  hath  come  with 
evident  Dominion.'     (Tab.  to  Napoleon  III.) 

**Fear  God,  O  people  of  discernment.  The  Glori- 
ous One  crieth  continually  from  the  horizon  of  the 
pavilion  of  Might  and  Greatness  and  saith,  *0  peo- 
ple of  the  Gospel !  He  hath  come  into  the  Kingdom 
who  was  out  of  it,  and  today  We  see  you  standing 
at  the  gate.  Rend  the  veils  by  the  power  of  your 
Lord,  the  Mighty,  the  Munificent,  and  then  enter 
into  My  Kingdom  in  My  Name;  thus  doth  He  com- 
mand you,  who  desireth  for  you  enduring  Life; 
verily.  He  is  powerful  over  all  things. 

Blessed  are  those  who  have  known  the  Light  and 
have  hastened  toward  it :  behold  they  are  in  the  King- 
dom, they  eat  and  drink  with  the  elect.    And  We  see 


113 


you,  O  children  of  the  Kingdom  in  darkness;  this  is 
not  meet  for  you.  Do  ye  fear  to  meet  the  Light  be- 
cause of  your  deeds?  Advance  thereto.  Verily,  He 
said,  *Come,  that  I  may  make  you  my  fishers;  come 
that  I  may  make  you  fishers  of  men;'  today  We  say, 
*Come,  that  We  may  make  you  the  vivifiers  of  the 
world.'  Thus  was  the  decree  ordained  in  a  Tablet 
written  by  the  Pen  of  Command."     (Tab.  to  Pope) 

^^O  people  of  the  Gospel!  The  Door  of  Heaven 
was  opened,  and  the  One  who  hath  ascended  there- 
unto is  come  again,  crying  throughout  the  land  and 
sea,  and  preaching  to  all  of  this  Manifestation,  where- 
of the  Tongue  of  Greatness  hath  uttered,  *The  Prom- 
ise hath  come,  and  this  is  the  Promised  One.'  Be  firm 
so  that  nothing  of  the  concerns  of  this  world  cause 
thee  to  slip;  take  the  cup  of  straightforwardness  in 
the  Name  of  the  Possessor  of  creation  and  drink  there- 
of with  the  permission  of  God,  the  King  of  the  King- 
dom."    (Tablet) 

'This  victim  (Baha'o^llah)  hath  made  himself 
a  traget  for  the  arrows  of  calamity  unto  the  showing 
forth  of  the  treasures  deposited  in  (men's)  souls." 
(T.  N,  78.) 

**Verily,  We  have  not  desired  anything  for  our- 
selves, but  only  for  yourselves,  were  ye  of  the  just. 
We  have  submitted  to  the  swords  of  the  enemies  for 
the  sake  of  your  life,  and  to  this  will  bear  witness 
every  fair  and  rightly  informed  one.  We  have  turned 
away  from  whatsoever  is  upon  the  whole  earth,  for 


114 


the  purpose  of  bringing  you  to  the  region  of  the  Mercy 
of  your  Lord,  the  Clement,  the  Compassionate." 
(Tablet) 

THE    ULTIMATE    CRITERION 

**If  we  seek  to  become  acquainted  with  the  truth 
of  this  matter  through  the  accounts  and  stories  which 
are  in  the  mouths  of  men,  the  truth  will  be  entirely 
concealed  and  hidden  by  reason  of  their  manifested 
differences  and  contrariety.  It  is  therefore  best  to 
discover  the  principles  and  objects  of  this  people  from 
the  contents  of  their  teachings,  tracts  and  epistles. 
There  is  no  authority  nor  are  there  any  proofs  or 
texts  superior  to  these,  for  this  is  the  foundation  of 
foundations  and  the  ultimate  criterion.  One  cannot 
judge  of  the  generality  by  the  speech  or  action  of  in- 
dividuals, for  diversity  of  states  is  one  of  the  pecu- 
liarities and  concomitants  of  the  human  race."  (T. 
N-rs5.) 


115 


Salvation 


*YE  MUST  BE  BORN  AGAIN.'' 


Salvation  means  attainment  of  the  high  destiny 
which  God  has  made  possible  for  every  man.  No 
two  persons  are  alike,  and  It  is  probable  that  no  two 
have  exactly  the  same  destiny,  but  each  has  a  special 
work  to  perform  and  his  own  heavenly  niche  in 
the  great,  universal,  divine  economy,  that  place  of 
service  which  shall  be  the  fullness  of  his  capacity  and 
the  joy  of  his  soul.  The  opportunity  is  his  to  ac- 
complish the  purpose  of  his  being,  by  the  help  of 
God,  if  he  wills  so  to  do.  If  he  refuses  to  listen  to 
his  Father's  invitation,  he  cannot  attain  that  exalta- 
tion and  glorious  service  of  '^Eternal  Life,"  and  is  a 
loser  of  all  he  might  have  been.  The  Bahai  teaching 
describes  the  process  of  attainment  through  the  **Spirit 
of  Faith,"  as  follows: 

"The  effulgence  of  God,  called  ^Spirit,'  according 
to    man's    comprehension,    is    generally 
divided  or  classified  into  five  grades  or  Spirit 

planes,     i.  The  vegetable  spirit;  2.  The 
animal  spirit;  3.  The  human  spirit;  4.  The  Spirit  of 
Faith;  5.  The  Divine  Spirit  of  Holiness. 

"  I .  The  vegetable  spirit  is  the  virtue  augmentative 
{a  growing    or  vegetative    faculty),    which    results 


119 


from  the  admixture  of  the  simple  elements,  with  the 
cooperation  of  water,  air  and  heat. 

**2.  The  animal  spirit  is  the  virtue  perceptive,  re- 
sulting from  the  admixture  and  absorption  of  the  vital 
elements  generated  in  the  heart,  which  apprehend 
sense  impressions. 

**3.  The  human  spirit  consists  of  the  rational  (co- 
ordinative)  faculty,  which  apprehends  general  ideas 
and  things  intelligible  and  perceptible. 

'*Now,  these  ^spirits'  are  not  reckoned  as  ^Spirit' 
in  the  terminology  of  the  Scriptures,  inasmuch  as  the 
laws  governing  them  are  as  the  laws  which  govern 
all  other  phenomenal  beings*  in  respect 
J.   ^  to  generation    and    corruption,    produc- 

tion, change  and  reversion.  This  is 
clearly  mentioned  in  the  Gospels  where  it  says,  *Let 
the  dead  bury  their  dead,'  and  'That  which  is  born 
of  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  Spirit  is 
spirit,'  inasmuch  as  he  who  would  bury  the  dead  was 
alive  with  the  vegetable  and  animal  spirits  and  the 
rational  human  soul.  Yet  Christ  declared  such  to  be 
dead  and  devoid  of  life,  because  empty  of  the  Spirit 
of  Faith  which  is  the  Kingdom  of  God.  In  brief, 
these  three  'spirits'  (i.  2.  3.)  are  subordinate  to 
reversion,  production  and  corruption. 

''But  the  Spirit  of  Faith  (4),  which  is  of  the  King- 
dom of  God,  consists  of  the  All-comprehending 
Grace  and  the  perfect  attainment  (salvation,  fruition, 

*Existences    belonging    to    the    phenomenal    or    material    universe,    called: 
**The  World  of  Generation  and  Corruption." 


120 


achievement)  unto  the  Divine  Spirit  of  Holiness  (5). 
This  (latter)  phase  of  the  Effulgence  of  Truth  from 
the  presence  of  the  Divine  Unity,  (shining)  on  lum- 
inous, light-seeking,  human  essences,  is  called  the 
^Holy  Spirit; 

**By  this  Spirit  is  the  Life  of  the  spirit  of  man  when 
it  is  fortified  thereby,  as  Christ  said,  *That  which  is 
born  of  Spirit  is  spirit'." 

He  who  is  quickened  by  it  is  of  the  Kingdom  o£ 
God.     He  is  then  eternal,  everlasting,  divine,  heaven- 
ly,  and  shall  continue  with  the  continuance  of  his 
Lord,  no  longer  subordinate  to  the  laws 
which  govern  the  universe  of  matter,  be-  _ .  .^ 

1       o    •  •  Living 

cause  the  Spirit  of  Faith  and  the  Spirit 
of  Divine  Holiness  are  vitalized  with  the  Attributes 
of  their  Source,  God,  who  everlastingly  was,  and  is, 
and  shall  be.  Thus  it  is  that  the  one  who  is  born  of 
this  Spirit  obtains  everlasting  Life.  Jesus  said,  ^'Mar- 
vel not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  be  born  again 
.  .  .  .  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man 
be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,'* 


121 


'VhAT  shall  I  DO  TO  BE  SAVED  ?'^ 

It  may  be  asked,  How  can  man  attain  the  Spirit  of 
Faith  and  the  endowment  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  This 
is  the  most  vital  question  that  man  can  propound. 
The  great  majority  of  the  Christian  churches  have 
taught  that  ^^Salvation  is  by  Faith,"  which  is  most 
certainly  true,  and  also  that  faith  is  an  intellectual 
assent  to  the  statement  expressed  in  two  lines  of  a 
hymn:  '* Jesus  paid  it  all;  All  the  debt  I  owe."  This 
statement  is  true  in  one  sense,  but  cowardly,  degrad- 
ing and  ineffective  for  him  who  simply  accords 
mental  belief  to  the  dogma  and  assents  gladly  in  his 
heart  to  casting  the  burden  of  his  sin  and  wickedness 
upon  the  suffering  and  crucified  Christ.  Jesus  paid 
it  all  indeed  for  him  who  believed  on  Him  and  took 
up  his  cross  and  followed  him,  who  proved  the  sin- 
cerity and  actuality  of  his  belief  by  his  deeds  of 
obedience.  He  said,  ^'Whosoever  doth  not  bear  his 
cross,  and  come  after  me,  cannot  he  my  disciple J^ 
(Lu.  14.27:  Matt.  10.  38.)  *'5o  likewise,  whoso- 
ever he  he  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath, 
he  cannot  he  my  disciple,''  (Lu.  14.33.)  '^^^  ^^^ 
body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works 
is  dead  also''     (James  2.28.) 

It  is  evident  to  any  reader  of  the  Gospels  that 


122 


the  central,  vital    element    of    man's    salvation    was 
declared   to  be   Faith,    faith   In   the    Christ,   proved 
by  works  of  righteousness,  and  that  mere 
intellectual   assent  was  not   an  effective  Faith 

faith.  ^^Thou  believes t  that  there  is  one 
God;  thou  doest  well;  the  devils  also  believe,  and 
tremble.^'  (James  2.19.)  It  appears  that  faith 
must  be  of  such  a  character  that  it  changes  a  man, 
severs  him  from  attachment  from  everything  of  the 
world,  causes  him  to  bear  the  burden  of  the  cross — 
the  sacrifice  of  his  will,  his  desires,  his  life  if  need  be, 
and  so  to  devote  his  entire  being  to  the  Will  of  God 
as  expressed  in  His  Commands. 

This  kind  of  faith  has  its  first  impulse  in  the  will 
of  man.  It  often  arises  from  suffering  and  the  sense 
of  need  and  it  always  increases  that  consciousness. 
Faith  is  not  an  intellectual  yielding  to  argument 
through  being  convinced  that  certain  statements  are 
correct,  but  it  is  rather  from  a  hunger  of  the  soul, 
a  knowledge  of  personal  helplessness  and  the  per- 
ception of  a  possible  Mighty  Helpfulness.  Faith 
cannot  rely  on  any  man,  but  in  God  only;  the  re- 
quired help  must  come  from  a  higher  power  than 
man.  The  soul  is  craving  that  which  does  not  per- 
tain to  humanity  in  itself.  The  latent  spark  of  divine 
longing  is  awaking  to  seek  its  promise,  and  it  turns 
heavenward  for  the  dawn  of  hope.  It  is  looking  for 
Its  Father,  God. 

Therefore  it  is  necessary  that  man  shall  have  some 
knowledge  of  God,  and  for  this  he  must  turn  toward 

123 


the  *Tace"  of  God.    ''Hear,  O  LORD,  when  I  cry 

with  my  voice;  have  mercy  also  upon  me, 
Knowledge       and    answer    me.     When    thou    saidst, 

''Seek  ye  my  facef^  my  heart  said  unto 
thee,  "Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek/'  (Ps.  27.  8.) 
His  "Face"  is  the  revelation  of  Himself  in  the  realm 
of  existence,  where  man  dwells.  All  the  existence 
declares  God  and  teaches  of  Him,  but  the  heart- 
knowledge,  the  living  knowledge,  comes  through  His 
Incarnate  Word,  the  human  Manifestation  of  His 
Will.  Therefore  man  must  seek  and  find  the  Mani- 
festation of  God,  believe  in  Him,  accept  His  Word, 
obey  His  Commands,  and  follow  Him  in  the  path- 
way of  sacrifice.  The  Manifestation  of  God  may  be 
always  known,  because  He  provides  the  kind  of  help 
which  the  seeking  soul  requires,  heart-help,  spirit- 
help,  creating  help. 

Man  is  a  praying  creature.  When  he  finds  him- 
self in  need,  as  he  does  from  the  moment  of  his  birth, 
he  strives  by  all  means  at  his  command  to  ''pray" 

for  help.  All  through  his  life  he  seeks  aid 
Prayer  from  Others ;  he  is  always  in  need,  always 

begging  for  assistance.  When  he  is 
awakened  through  any  means  to  the  hunger  and  help- 
lessness of  his  soul,  he  hesitates  not  to  pray  to  God, 
and,  whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  action  and 
working  of  prayer,  it  causes  man  to  turn  toward  God 
and  make  It  possible  for  God  to  answer  him.  Prayer 
changes  his  attitude  from  self-ward  to  God-ward. 
If  he  prays  for  things  that  pertain  to  his  worldly 

124 


affairs,  his  spirit  is  not  turned  toward  God,  but  to- 
ward himself.  His  prayer  must  be  '*in  the  Name  of 
God,"  that  is  in  accord  with  the  divine  Word.  Jesus 
told  his  disciples  to  ask  in  his  Name,  and  said  that 
whatever  they  asked  in  his  Name,  they  received. 
'*Name''  is  a  term  used  to  express  qualities,  and  the 
Name  of  the  Manifestation  of  God  signifies  divine 
attributes;  therefore,  to  ask  in  his  Name  means  ac- 
cording to  his  nature  and  instructions,  which  are 
the  nature  and  instructions  of  God.  No  prayer  is 
prayer  to  God  unless  it  be  in  God's  way,  according 
to  his  Word,  and  with  a  sincere  desire  for  his  Will 
to  be  done  regardless  of  the  personal  will.  Prayer, 
in  its  essence,  is  the  abandonment  of  the  personal  will 
in  favor  of  the  Will  of  God.  And  such  prayer  God 
answers,  because  it  is  in  agreement  with  his  law  and 
can  be  answered. 

God  asks  man  to  pray  to   him.     He  has  given 
freely  everything  for  the  necessities  of  human  life. 
He  has  filled  the  lands  and  waters  with  foods  and 
taught  man    how    to  cultivate    and    use 
them;  he  has  given  the  forests  and  all  ^?^'^ 

materials  for  shelter,  the  cotton  and  the 
wool,  and  enabled  man  to  mould  them  for  his  com- 
fort; he  has  given  the  reasoning  faculties  that  man 
may  progress  in  material  welfare  and  exercise  the 
ethical  and  moral  knowledges  offered  to  him;  he 
has  given  conceptions  of  beauty  that  man  may  seek 
for  more  than  the  physical  dimensions  of  existence; 
and  he  has  implanted  the  perception  of  higher  pos- 

125 


sibilities  and  a  desire  for  eternal  destinies,  that  man 
may  turn  his  face  toward  the  Infinite. 

All  of  these  have  been  without  the  asking,  but  for 
the  greater,  spiritual  things,  God  tells  man  to  pray 
that  in  so  doing  he  may  recognize  his  need,  prove  the 
reality  of  his  desire,  and  put  himself  into  the  only 
attitude  in  which  he  can  receive.  One  must  face 
forward  and  hold  out  his  hand  if  he  would  have  the 
gift;  he  must  meet  the  donor  part  way;  otherwise 
there  is  no  real  gift.  He  who  is  in  need  will  pray. 
He  who  hesitates  to  supplicate  God  for  his  most 
valuable  treasures  is  standing  in  the  station  of  pride, 
or  has  not  awakened  to  their  worth  and  his  own  need. 
Every  man  has  what  he  desires  the  most  if  it  can  be 
obtained.  The  Spirit  of  Faith  is  attainable,  but  it  is 
so  infinitely  higher  and  more  valuable  than  all  else 
in  existence  that  all  other  things  must  loosen  their 
hold  on  his  heart  before  it  can  reign. 

God  demands  obedience.  It  is  not  for  man  to 
question  God's  commands.  A  little  thought  shows 
that  all  the  ordinances  of  God,  expressed  by  his 
Manifestation,  are  for  the  uplifting  and 
Obedience  good  of  man;  how  then  can  he  question 
the  methods  revealed  from  the  same 
Source?  The  Scriptures  throughout  lay  stress  upon 
obedience  as  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  he  who  would  attain  the  higher  blessings 
should  welcome  the  opportunities  to  obey.  Every- 
thing in  existence  is  under  law,  and  all  things  obey 
freely,  except  man,  who  has  been  granted  ability  to 

126 


disobey,  even  God,  and  to  obey  himself.  Man  is  al- 
ways a  servant;  he  obeys  something;  how  much  bet- 
ter for  him  to  serve  the  Wise  One,  the  True  One,  the 
Beautiful  One,  instead  of  his  own  ignorance  and 
greed!  ^^Know  ye  not  that  to  whom  ye  yield  your- 
selves servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom 
ye  obey,  whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience 
unto  righteousness?     (Ro.  6.16.) 

The  whole  sin  and  consequent  degradation  of  the 
Jewish  people  was  their  disobedience  to  God.  He 
called  them  again  and  again  to  be  his  people. 
^^Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  people;  and  walk  ye  in  all  the  ways  that  I  have 
commanded  you,  that  it  may  be  well  with  you.  ( Jer. 
7.  23.)  ^^Obey,  I  beseech  thee,  the  voice  of  the 
LoRD^  which  I  speak  unto  thee;  so  shall  it  be  well 
unto  thee,  and  thy  soul  shall  live/^  (Jer.  38.  20.) 
The  path  of  Faith,  which  is  the  way  of  Life,  is  to 
bring  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience 
of  Christ.  (2.  Cor.  10.  5.)  This  is  obedience  to 
the  Manifestation  of  God,  in  whatever  age  he  may 
appear.  The  voice  of  God,  speaking  through  Baha' 
O^LLAH,  says:  ''O  Son  of  Existence!  Keep  My 
Commands  for  love  of  Me,  and  deny  thyself  thine 
own  desires  if  thou  wishes t  My  Pleasure.'^  ^^O  Son 
of  Man!  Neglect  not  My  Laws  if  thou  loves t  My 
Beauty,  and  forget  not  My  Counsels  if  thou  art  hope- 
ful to  attain  My  Will!' 

Faith  is  entire  confidence.  Few  recognize  the 
value  of  confidence  and  the  power  of  the  will  to  in- 

127 


duce  It.  When  we  retire  from  thoughts  of  earthly 
affairs  to  consider  the  Word  of  God,  we 
Confidence  find  that  naught  is  there  but  the  things 
of  value,  the  best  things,  such  as  wis- 
dom, knowledge,  justice,  mercy,  generosity,  beauty, 
power,  and  love,  whereas  the  opposites  pertain  to  the 
natural  man.  Then  it  is  easy  for  the  sincere  heart 
to  turn  itself  toward  the  Source  of  these  things  of 
worth  and  to  trust  the  Giver  of  them.  A  little  true 
exercise  of  the  will  and  purpose  will  soon  establish 
the  spirit  In  that  direction,  and  then  the  Spirit  of  God 
meets  It  and  confirms  it  In  a  certainty  that  is  beyond 
all  that  the  highest  philosophy  or  human  effort  can 
accomplish.  ^'O  Fleeting  Shadow!  Pass  by  the  low 
degrees  of  fancy,  and  soar  to  the  exalted  heights  of 
Certainty''  ''Oh  My  Brother!  Hear  My  beautiful 
Words  from  My  sweet  Tongue,  and  drink  the  Water 
of  Life  from  the  fountain  of  My  Lips;  that  is — 
sow  the  seeds  of  My  Innate  Wisdom  in  the  pure 
ground  of  the  heart  and  water  it  with  conviction; 
then  the  hyacinth  of  My  Knowledge  and  Wisdom 
shall  spring  up  verdantly  in  the  holy  city  of  the  heart,'' 
(BahaVllah.) 

The  whole  question  of  salvation  is  one  of  the  will 

of  man.    God  wills  it  for  man,  if  he  will,  but  God  has 

endowed  him  with  a  will  of  his  own  to  choose  what 

he  will,  and  he  never  interferes  with  the 

„,.f,  free  use  of  that  gift.    He  has  made  man 

Will  .  ^  .    . 

arter  his  own  image,  giving  nim  a  pow- 
sciousness  of  individuality,  of  independence,  the  pow- 

128 


er  of  judgment  between  good  and  evil,  a  perception 
of  values  and  a  will  to  make  decisions.  All  these  are 
God-qualities — not  dust  qualities.  As  long  as  man 
considers  these  powers  to  be  his  own,  to  spring  from 
himself,  and  uses  them  only  for  his  own  worldly  ag- 
grandizement, he  may  advance  in  his  plane  of  human 
life,  but  can  never  rise  above  that  plane  to  a  higher 
and  nobler  condition. 

When  he  is  led  to  '^search  the  scriptures"  and 
learns  that  there  are  ^'better  things,"  that  God  is  the 
Giver  of  all  that  he  has  and  is,  that  it  is  possible  for 
him  to  come  into  closer  communion  with  him  and 
knowledge  of  him  through  his  Manifestation  and 
his  Word,  then  the  wise  man,  the  true-hearted  one, 
turns  to  God  and  seeks  to  know  his  Will.  He  learns 
that  all  these  powers  were  given  him  to  enable  him 
to  grow,  to  prepare  himself  under  the  guidance  of 
the  Spirit  for  a  higher  service  in  God's 
Universe.     This  is  told  in  the  parable  _^^^ 

likening  the  Kingdom  of  heaven  to  the 
use  of  the  talents  (Matt.  25.  14-30).  These  en- 
dowments of  man  are  his  talents  given  him  for  use. 
He  who  uses  them  in  such  a  manner  as  to  gain  others, 
that  is — uses  them  according  to  the  divine  instruc- 
tions, is  not  only  called  the  good  and  faithful  servant, 
but  is  also  told,  **Thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few 
things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many;"  while  he 
who  had  buried  his  talent  in  the  ground  of  himself 
and  his  desires,  lost  the  talent  he  had  and  was  cast 
as  an  unprofitable  servant  into  outer  darkness. 

129 


This  life  is  a  primary  school  in  which  to  prepare 
for  greater  service  and  knowledge  and  larger  respon- 
sibilities in  the  future.  God  offers  to  man  the  won- 
Xhe  derful  station  of  sonship  to  him,  which 

Primary  means  that  man  must  become  like  him 

School  ^j^  John  3.  2.),  be  of  a  divine  charac- 

ter, reliable,  able  to  render  nobler  service  and  to  be 
entrusted  with  the  affairs  of  his  Father's  House. 
Little  does  man  conceive  the  meaning  of  those  **many" 
things  over  which  God  desires  him  to  rule.  But  he 
must  first  rule  himself,  and  he  is  unable  to  do  even 
this  without  the  aid  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Although  all  power,  all  strength,  all  ability  is  the 
pure  gift  of  God  through  his  Holy  Spirit,  yet  his 
law  is  that  man  shall  grow  into  a  power  of  capacity 
for  these  gifts  by  the  right  use  of  that  which  he  al- 
ready has.  He  will  not  remove  man's  apparent  in- 
dependence, his  apparent  individuality,  his  freedom 
of  will;  he  will  not  unman  him  and  make  him  an  au- 
tomaton; therefore  it  becomes  necessary  for  man  to 
use  his  own  faculties,  under  the  guidance  of  God's 
Word  and  in  unison  with  his  Spirit,  in  order  that  he 
may  receive  the  glorious  endowments  of  his  Father. 
Naught  can  be  accomplished  until  the  Will  of  God 
be  supreme  in  the  will  of  the  man;  until  he  can  say 
with  his  whole  being,  '*There  is  no  God  but  God!" 
*'I  will  have  no  other  Gods  before  Him !"  ''Praise 
be  unto  His  Holy  Name !" 

A  man's  spirit  may  be  called  the  aspect  of  his  will. 
When  he  turns  it  toward  listening,  he  hears;  toward 

130 


looking,  he  sees;  toward  thinking,  he  perceives;  all 
of  these  are  limited  within  the  sensual, 
human  plane,   but  when  he  directs  his  s^^-"*t 

spirit  toward  the  Word  of  God  he  re- 
ceives instruction  of  a  higher  object  of  devotion,  who 
is  Wisdom,  itself.  Knowledge  itself,  Love  itself,  and 
then,  in  response  to  the  invitation  of  the  Word,  he 
turns  his  spirit  toward  that  One  and  sends  forth  the 
"wireless"  supplications  from  his  heart  to  the  Heart 
of  the  universe. 

As  he  does  this  in  all  sincerity,  there  comes  to  him 
an  assurance,  a  confidence  in  a  new  connection,  a  new 
help,  a  new  power,  a  presence  and  strength  which  are 
reliable,   impregnable    and    Life-giving. 
His  seeking   spirit  has  been   met  by  a  .^^ 

Mightier  Spirit,  as  was  the  prodigal  son 
by  the  Father;  his  spirit  has  been  quickened  and  Im- 
pregnated by  a  Holier  Spirit ;  a  new  conception,  a  new 
birth  has  taken  place  within  him;  his  spirit  has  be- 
come the  Spirit  of  Faith  and  is  made  alive  with  the 
Spirit  of  Holiness  shining  forth  *'from  the  presence 
of  the  Divine  Unity  on  the  luminous,  light-seeking, 
human  essence"  of  himself.  Then  his  spirit,  being  at 
one  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  is  "vitalized  with 
the  Attributes  of  their  Source,  God,  who  everlast- 
ingly was,  and  is,  and  shall  be." 

*^The  human  spirit  has  an  impression  and  effect  in 
the  world,  but  the  Divine  Spirit  gives  Life  to  the 
souls  and  confers  Eternal  Life  upon  those  who  are 


131 


attracted  to  the  Fragrances  of  God.  This  is  the 
great  Cause  from  the  Kingdom  of  thy  Lord.  Be 
attached  to  this  new  Spirit  which  hath  effective  power 
in  the  realities  of  things,  and  creates  new  creatures.'" 
'^Forsake  every  thought,  every  remembrance  and 
every  praise,  while  holding  to  the  Word  of  God. 
Confine  thy  interests,  thy  works  and  efforts  to  the 
Cause  of  God.  Thus  the  Spirit  of  Power  and  Might 
will  confirm  thee,  and  the  manifest  light  will  shine 
upon  thy  browJ^  ^^  Thank  God  that  He  enriched 
thee  beyond  the  delicacies  of  this  mortal  world  and 
caused  thee  to  taste  the  sweetness  of  His  Love  in 
His  New  Kingdom:'     (Abdul-Baha'.) 


132 


The  Bahai  Revelation 


THE  BAHAI  REVELATION  IS  AN  INVITATION  TO 
LOVE   GOD. 

The  Word  of  God,  speaking  through  Baha^- 
o'llah,  says: 

*^0  Son  of  Man!"^  In  my  Ancient  Entity  and  in 
my  Eternal  Being  was  I  hidden,  I  knew  my  Love 
in  thee;  therefore  I  created  thee;  upon  thee  I  laid  my 
Image  and  to  thee  revealed  my  Beauty,'^     (A.f  4.) 

^'O  Son  of  Man!  I  loved  thy  creation;  therefore 
I  created  thee.  Wherefore  love  Me,  that  I  may  ac- 
knowledge thee  and  in  the  Spirit  of  Life  confirm 
thee  J'     (A.  5.) 

''O  Friend!  In  the  garden  of  the  heart  plant  only 
flowers  of  Love,  and  withdraw  not  from  clinging  to 
the  nightingale  of  love  and  yearning/'     (P.  3.) 

**0  Son  of  Love!  Only  one  step  separates  thee 
from  the  plane  of  Nearness  and  the  exalted  Tree  of 
Love.  Plant  the  first  foot,  and  with  the  other  step 
into  the  Kingdom  of  Eternity  and  enter  the  Pavilion 
of  Immortality.  Then  hearken  to  what  hath  descend- 
ed from  the  Pen  of  Glory. 

^'O  Son  of  Glory!    Be  swift  in  the  Way  of  Holi- 

*These  address  titles  signify  man  considered  under  certain  of  his  several 
attributes  and  stations,  as  created  of  dust,  of  love,  of  spirit,  a  crea- 
ture   of    existence,    etc. 

tA.  and  P.   refer  to  Arabic  and  Persian  Hidden  Words. 


135 


ness  and  step  into  the  Heavens  of  Intimacy.  Clear 
the  heart  with  the  burnish  of  the  Spirit  and  betake 
thyself  to  the  Presence  of  the  Most  High/'     (P.  7.8.) 

These  are  the  words  of  Divine  Love.  None  but 
the  King  of  Love  can  utter  such  commands.  Each 
of  God's  teachers  has  revealed  the  same,  expressing 
it  according  to  the  human  needs  of  his  time  and  place. 
Moses,  the  Law-giver,  said:  *'Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  might/'  (Deut.  6.5.)  Jesus, 
the  Son,  repeated  the  command  of  Moses,  and  said: 
^^This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment/*  Today 
the  Father  calls : 

'^O  Son  of  Existence!  Love  Me  that  I  may  love 
thee.  If  thou  lovest  Me  not,  my  Love  can  never 
reach  thee.    Know  this,  O  servant.**     (A.6.) 

^^Love  Me  that  I  may  acknowledge  thee  and  in 
the  Spirit  of  Life  confirm  thee.**     (A.  5.) 

But  how  can  man  love  God  whom  no  eye  hath  seen  ? 
He,  Himself,  answers  and  says:  ^*My  Love  is  in 
thee.  Seek,  and  thou  wilt  find  Me  near.**  ^^I  have 
placed  within  thee  a  spirit  from  Me,  that  thou  might' 
est  be  my  lover.**     (A.  20.) 

^^The  source  of  love  is  to  advance  to  the  Beloved, 
to  abandon  all  else  save  Him,  and  to  have  no  hope 
save  His  Will.** 


136 


THE  BAHAI  REVELATION  IS  AN  INVITATION  TO 
OBEDIENCE. 

Baha'o^llah,  himself,  first  obeyed  the  commands 
of  God,  and  then  proclaimed  them  to  us.  Note  care- 
fully these  commands  which  were  completely  mani- 
fested in  him. 

'^O  Son  of  Humanity!  The  temple  of  Being  is  my 
Throne.  Purge  it  of  everything,  that  I  may  descend 
to  reign  over  it''     (A.  59.) 

^^O  Son  of  Existence!  Thy  heart  is  my  Home: 
purify  it  for  my  Descent.  Thy  spirit  is  my  Outlook: 
prepare  it  for  my  Manifestation.*'     (A.  60.) 

**If  my  Will  thou  seekest,  regard  not  thine  own, 
that  thou  mayest  die  in  Me,  and  I  live  in  thee." 
(A.  8.) 

^'O  Son  of  Man!  Magnify  my  Command,  that  I 
may  reveal  to  thee  the  secrets  of  Greatness  and  il- 
lumine thee  with  the  Lights  of  Eternity."     (A.  42.) 

^*0  Son  of  Man!  Lift  up  thy  heart  with  delight, 
that  thou  mayest  be  fitted  to  meet  Me  and  to  mirror 
forth  my  Beauty."     (A.  37.) 

These  are  the  divine  counsels  to  him  who  would 
be  a  manifestation  of  God.  They  were  absolutely 
fulfilled  in  the  Blessed  Perfection,  and  offered  by  Him 
to  all  mankind.     They  are  also  entirely  obeyed  in 


137 


Abdul-Baha',  the  servant  of  Baha',  the  perfect  Man 
and  Exemplar  to  all  men  in  the  new  Covenant  and 
Dispensation  of  God.  He  who  obeys  these  commands 
becomes  a  Bahai,  that  is — a  manifestor  of  the  Name 
of  God,  of  God-like  attributes,  according  to  the  de- 
gree of  the  purity  of  his  heart.  *'The  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  God,"  yes — and  the  pure  hearted  shall 
^'Mirror  forth  his  Beauty." 

Thus  is  the  command  of  the  Spirit  obeyed,  the 
same  Eternal  Spirit  which  said  through  the  blessed 
mouth  of  Jesus :  '^Let  your  light  so  shine  among  men 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven  J*  (Matt.  5.16.)  No 
man  can  glorify  God  by  adding  to  His  Glory,  but 
each  soul  can  glorify  God  by  so  purging  and  polish- 
ing his  own  life  that  the  holy  attributes  of  God  shall 
reflect  from  him  to  his  neighbor  and  thus  to  all  hu- 
manity.   This  it  is  to  be  a  Christian,  to  be  a  Bahai. 

THE  ALPHABET   OF  LOVE  18    OBEDIENCE 

^^O  Son  of  Existence!  Keep  my  Commands  for 
Love  of  Me,  and  deny  thyself  thine  own  desires  if 
thou  wishes t  my  Pleasure/'     (A.  39.) 

'^O  Son  of  Man!  Neglect  not  my  Laws  if  thou 
lovest  my  Beauty,  and  forget  not  my  Counsels  if  thou 
art  hopeful  to  attain  my  WillJ'     (A.  40.) 

'7/  ye  keep  my  commandments  ye  shall  abide  in 
my  love,  even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  command- 
ments, and  abide  in  his  love/'     (John,  15.10.) 


138 


*^If  ye  love  mej  keep  my  commandments!^  (John, 
14.15.) 

*^lf  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words,  and 
my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him, 
and  make  our  abode  with  him/'  ^^The  word  which 
ye  hear  is  not  mine,  but  the  Father^  s  which  sent  me  J' 
(John,   14.23.) 

Obedience  to  the  commands  of  God  as  revealed  to 
man  through  his  Messengers  is  the  only  path  to  at- 
tainment of  his  spiritual  blessings  and  bounties.  It 
is  for  this  that  the  ''Men  of  God''  are  ''sent";  that 
man,  wandering  far  from  knowledge  of  his  Truth, 
troubled  in  the  maze  of  man-made  doctrines,  dis- 
couraged with  uncertainties  and  blinded  by  earthly 
clouds  of  material  philosophies,  may  again  perceive 
the  light  of  Truth,  the  revelation  of  God's  instruc- 
tion shining  forth  in  the  dawn  of  a  New  Day,  and 
that  perceiving  he  may  walk  in  the  light,  recognize 
the  gift  of  God  and  humbly  obey  Him.  "Line  upon 
line,  precept  upon  precept !"  This  is  the  divine  way. 
If  we  fail  to  learn  his  lesson  in  one  of  the  Days  of 
God,  his  love  and  generosity  offer  the  teachings  to 
us  again  and  again.  They  are  always  the  same,  yet 
ever  changing  in  expression  to  meet  our  capacity  and 
our  need. 


139 


THE    BAHAI   REVELATION   IS    OF   AUTHORITY. 

In  these  days  of  tumults  when  churches,  sects, 
dogmas  and  sciences  are  antagonizing  each  other  with 
assertions  and  denials;  when  all  is  cloud,  change  and 
uncertainty,  when  material  wars,  mental  tempests, 
psychic  dangers,  and  spiritual  temptations  surround 
and  attack  us  everywhere;  when  religions  of  author- 
ity are  derided  and  scorned;  when  the  Entity  of  God 
is  denied  on  the  one  hand,  and  divided  among  in- 
numerable individuals  on  the  other,  is  it  not  refresh- 
ing and  delightful  to  hear  a  Voice,  a  Trumpet  of 
God,  crying  out  again  from  the  wilderness :  '^Prepare 
ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.  Make  straight  his  paths*' 
(Is.  40.3:  Mai.  3.1:  Mark  1.3. )»  for  ^^He  whom 
God  shall  manifest   (Beyan)   cometh! 

^'O  Son  of  Spirit!  The  Gospel  of  Light  I  herald 
to  thee:  Rejoice  in  it!  And  to  the  state  of  Holi- 
ness I  call  thee:  Abide  in  it,  that  thou  may  est  be  in 
peace  for  ever  and  ever  J*     (A.  34.) 

'^O  Son  of  Perception!  Look  thou  to  my  Face,  and 
turn  from  all  save  Me,  for  my  Authority  is  eternal 
and  shall  never  cease;  my  Kingdom  is  lasting  and  shall 
not  be  overthrown.  If  thou  seekest  another  than 
Me;  yea,  if  thou  searchest  the  universe  forevermore, 
yet  shall  thy  search  be  vain,     (A.  16.) 


140 


**0  Son  of  Man!  If  thou  run  through  all  immen- 
sity and  speed  through  the  space  of  heaven,  thou  shalt 
find  no  rest  save  in  obedience  to  our  Command  and  in 
devotion  before  our  Face  J'      (A.  41.) 

'^O  Son  of  Man!  Go  not  beyond  thy  limitation , 
nor  claim  what  is  not  for  thee.  Venerate  the  Coun- 
tenance of  thy  Lord,  the  Almighty/^     (A.  25.) 

What  is  that  Face,  that  Countenance,  but  the  hu- 
man Manifestation  of  his  Will,  the  Revealer  of  his 
Command,  the  Proclaimer  of  his  Authority!  It  is 
as  necessary  for  the  mind  of  man  to  have  an  em- 
powered teacher,  and  for  his  spirit  to  have  a  center 
of  divine  Authority,  as  for  the  earth  to  have  a  sun 
shining  from  its  heaven. 

Man  did  not  spring  full  armed  from  the  soil.  He 
is  a  creature  of  growth,  an  evolution,  and  only  that 
can  be  evolved  which  has  first  been  involved.  All  the 
earthly  kingdoms  of  matter  reach  the  fulfilment  of 
their  destinies  under  and  by  the  influence  of  the  sun's 
rays,  and  man,  the  fruitage  and  monarch  of  earth 
and  the  embryo  of  Heaven,  cannot  attain  his  heavenly 
possibilities  except  by  virtue  of  the  rays  of  command 
shining  from  the  Spiritual  Sun  of  Truth,  the  Day  Star 
of  revelation,  prepared  and  appointed  by  God  to  show 
forth  his  Light  and  declare  his  Will. 

This  Revelation  is  called  in  the  Arabic  language — 
Baha'o'llah,  the  Glory  of  God,  the  Shining  Light 
of  his  Knowledge,  the  outpouring  of  his  Love,  the  re- 
vealing of  his  Will.     The  title  Baha^o^LLAH  is  also 


141 


given  to  the  Man,  the  instrument  of  Light.  It  is  a 
perfect  Revelation  of  God's  Manifestation  in  Exist- 
ence, containing  the  essence  of  all  revelations;  so  It 
and  He  are  called  *The  Blessed  Perfection."  As 
manifested  perfection  is  beauty,  He  is  called  the 
Beauty  of  God.  Indeed,  all  good  names  belong  to 
this  shining  Sun  of  Glory,  who  is  the  Manifestor 
of  God's  Will  and  the  Speaker  of  Authority. 


142 


THE  BAHAI  REVELATION  TEACHES  THE  RELIGION  OF 

LIVING. 

It  is  my  life,  your  life,  not  philosophy,  not  medi- 
tation alone,  not  mysticism,  not  preaching  or  hearing, 
but  doing;  doing  every  day  that  which  makes  an  ad- 
vance and  starts  at  least  one  ripple  of  progress  in  the 
little  world  of  which  the  doer  is  temporarily  the 
center.  It  is  effort,  struggle  to  make  today  better 
than  yesterday,  and  to  lay  a  new  foundation,  a 
higher  base  for  the  building  of  tomorrow. 

There  can  be  no  life  without  change;  stagnation  Is 
death.  As  religion  is  life  it  demands  action  and  the 
doing  of  that  which  will  cause  change  and  produce 
growth.  Man  **dies  daily,"  as  the  Apostle  Paul  said 
of  himself,  and  the  old,  dead  cells  must  be  replaced 
by  the  new,  the  higher,  stronger,  better,  that  it  may 
serve  for  an  advance  in  the  scale  of  being. 

Thus  IS  the  **New  Creature"  born  every  day;  yes, 
in  each  thought,  each  purpose,  each  act.  The  rim  of 
the  rolling  wheel  of  life  touches  the  earth  of  existence 
a  point  at  a  time,  moment  after  moment.  Its  prog- 
ress and  direction  depend  upon  the  living  of  the  now, 
this  Instant,  upon  which  hangs  our  eternity.  We 
have  to  watch  but  a  moment  at  a  time,  this  little  par- 
ticle of  life,  to  make  the  best  of  It.  Baha'o'llah  has 
written : 

'^O  Son  of  Existence!     Examine  thy  deeds  each 


143 


day  before  thou  art  judged^  for  death  zuill  suddenly 
overtake  thee,  and  then  thy  deeds  shall  judge  theeJ^ 
(A.  32.) 

^'Guidance  hath  ever  been  by  words,  but  at  this 
time  it  is  by  deeds.  That  is — all  pure  deeds  must 
appear  from  the  temple  of  man,  because  all  are  part- 
ners in  words,  but  pure  and  holy  deeds  belong  espe- 
cially to  Our  friends.  Then  strive  with  your  life  to 
be  distinguished  among  all  people  by  deeds.  Thus 
We  exhort  ye  in  the  holy  and  radiant  Tablet.^^     (P. 

76.) 

^^The  effect  of  deeds  is  in  truth  more  powerful  than 
that  of  words.  The  progress  of  man  depends  upon 
faithfulness,  wisdom,  chastity,  intelligence  and  deeds/* 
^*The  truth  of  zvords  is  tested  by  deeds  and  dependent 
upon  life.  Deeds  reveal  the  station  of  the  man.** 
(W.  62.) 

It  IS  the  living  of  men,  which  attracts  the  noble 
aspirations  of  others. 


144 


THIS  REVELATION  IS  A  CALL  TO  SACRIFICE. 

To  the  sacrifice  of  pure  dying  and  pure  living, 
dying  to  self  and  living  to  God. 

''O  Son  of  Humanity!  If  thou  loves t  Me  turn 
away  from  thyself:  if  my  Will  thou  seekest  regard  not 
thine  own,  that  thou  may  est  die  in  Me,  and  I  live  in 
theer     (A.  8.) 

'^O  Son  bf  Spirit!  No  peace  is  ordained  for  thee 
save  by  departing  from  thyself  and  coming  to  MeJ' 
(A.  9.) 

^^O  Son  of  Light!  Forget  all  else  save  Me,  and  be 
comforted  by  my  Spirit/*     (A.  17.) 

'*0  Son  of  the  Earth!  If  thou  desires t  Me,  desire 
no  other  than  Me!'     (P.  31.) 

^^O  My  Servant!  Free  thyself  from  the  worldly 
bond,  and  escape  from  the  prison  of  the  self!*  (P. 
40.) 

Repeatedly  man  is  counseled  to  escape  from  at- 
tachment to  the  things  of  earth  and  self,  and  to  turn 
his  desire  and  confidence  to  God  only.  He  is  urged 
to  abandon  the  evil  and  seek  the  good. 

''O  My  Servant!  Purge  the  mind  from  malice  and, 
free    from    envy,    enter    the    presence    of    Unity!* 

(P.  42.) 


145 


''O  Sons  of  Hope!  Divest  yourselves  of  the  gar- 
ment of  pride  and  lay  aside  the  robe  of  haughtiness/' 

(P-47.) 

'^O  Essence  of  Passion!  Greed  must  be  aban- 
doned, that  thou  mayest  find  content,  for  the  greedy 
hath  ever  been  deprived,  while  the  contended  hath 
ever  been  loved  and  esteemed/'     (P.  50.) 

'^O  Children  of  Dust!  Giving  and  Generosity  are 
qualities  of  mine.  Happy  is  he  who  adorns  himself 
with  my  Virtues,"     (P.  49.) 

*^To  be  poor  in  all  save  God  is  a  great  blessing: 
make  it  not  small,  for  in  the  end  it  will  make  thee  rich 
in  Godr      (P.  53.) 

In  times  past  religious  sacrifice  was  interpreted  to 
mean  deprivation  of  material  possessions  and  com- 
forts, seclusion  from  the  world  and  from  human  in- 
tercourse. It  was  considered  to  be  separation  from 
things  as  the  only  means  of  severance  from  attach- 
ment to  things.  True  sacrifice  is  spiritual,  not  ma- 
terial only.  It  is  the  sacrifice  of  a  meek  and  contrite 
spirit  that  the  Lord  requires.  In  this  day  of  Light 
God  does  not  demand  the  exclusion  and  casting  away 
of  that  which  we  have,  unless  we  hold  it  for  evil  and 
it  **oflfend  us."  Everything  is  good  and  of  his  Bounty 
and  is  a  blessing  if  properly  used.    He  says: 

^^O  Son  of  Dust!  All  things  in  the  heavens  and  in 
the  earth  have  I  ordained  for  thee,  except  the  hearts, 
which  I  have  appointed  as  a  place  for  the  descent  of 
the  manifestation  of  my  Beauty  and  Glory!'     (P.27.) 


God,  who  is  Love,  demands  the  sacrifice  of  all 
other  loves  if  they  prevent  the  lover  from  Him.  ''He 
wills  to  be  loved  above  all  that  is.''  Christ,  speaking 
the  Word  of  God,  said:  ''He  that  loveth  father  or 
mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me,  and  he  that 
loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me  is  not  worthy 
of  me,  and  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross  and  followeth 
after  me  is  not  worthy  of  me.  He  that  saveth  his 
life  shall  lose  it,  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake 
shall  find  it/'     (Matt.  10.37.) 

The  meaning  of  the  word  ''sacrifice"  is  to  make 
holy,  and  true  sacrifice  is  making  holy  every  posses- 
sion, each  thought  and  deed — "holy  unto  the  Lord." 
It  is  consecration  of  spirit,  soul  and  body  to  the  Will 
of  God,  making  our  wills  subservient  to  Him  and  his 
Will  the  motive  of  each  purpose  and  act,  doing  all 
things  "for  the  sake  of  God."  Then  truly  man  dies 
to  self  and  God  lives  in  him,  and  thus  his  life  becomes 
holy. 

When  this  form  of  sacrifice  shall  prevail  among 
men,  and  the  Will  of  God  inspires  them  in  society,  in 
business,  in  politics,  religion  and  life,  then  indeed  shall 
this  earth  become  a  "Paradise  of  Glory."  Then  all 
life  becomes  a  radiant  sacrifice,  and  the  prophecy  of 
Zechariah  14.20  shall  be  fulfilled:  "/«  that  day  there 
shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses  HOLINESS 
UNTO  THE  LORD,  and  the  pots  in  the  Lord's 
house  shall  be  like  the  bowls  before  the  altar  J' 


147 


THE    BAHAI    TEACHING   IS    AN    INVITATION   TO 
SERVICE. 

*^The  people  of  IB  aha'  must  serve  the  Lord  with 
wisdom,  teach  others  by  their  lives,  and  manifest  the 
light  of  God  in  their  deeds  J'  *^In  this  day  all  must 
serve  God  with  purity  and  virtue  J'     (W.  6i.) 

Service  is  a  manifestation  of  God,  for  He  serves 
all  existence.  He  is  the  Provider,  and  we  are  under 
his  Providence.  He  is  the  Giver,  and  we  receive  His 
Gifts.  He  is  the  Generous,  and  we  seek  his  Favor. 
The  only  way  we  can  praise  him  and  give  thanks  is 
by  imitating  him  in  service  to  humanity,  and  this  is 
acceptable  as  service  to  God.  Service  **in  His  Name" 
and  according  to  his  Commands  is  Oneness  with  Him. 
If  man  desires  to  be  conscious  of  unity  with  the 
Spirit  of  God,  let  him  learn  the  Will  of  God  and 
serve  humanity  as  God  serves  all. 

We  cannot  serve  God :  He  needs  no  creatures'  serv- 
ice. Neither  can  we  serve  ourselves  alone,  because 
such  selfishness  results  in  death,  not  life.  But  we 
can  serve  others.  We  can  train  ourselves  to  grow  in 
strength  and  ability  to  serve  humanity,  that  is— our 
neighbor,  the  ones  near  to  us  and  around  us  as  well 
as  those  far  away,  excluding  none  from  our  service. 
That  is  God's  service,  for  two  reasons — because  it  is 
obeying  his  Command,  and  because  it  is  the  God-like 

1 48 


in  man  that  we  serve.  It  is  written  that  if  one  have 
nine  bad  qualities  and  but  one  that  is  good,  it  is  our 
duty  to  notice  and  praise  the  good  that  its  growth 
be  encouraged.  Each  human  being  has  something  of 
the  **image  of  God''  in  him,  and  it  is  a  blessing  to 
us  if  we  be  able  to  serve  that  God-like  quality  and 
aid  It  to  shine  forth. 

'^O  Son  of  Man!  I  knew  my  Love  in  thee;  there- 
fore I  created  thee:  upon  thee  I  laid  my  image ^  and 
to  thee  revealed  my  Beauty/^     (A.  4.) 

It  is  that  image  and  that  beauty  which  we  delight 
to  serve,  no  matter  how  faint  its  reflection.  Indeed, 
the  less  it  appears,  the  more  it  demands  our  service 
and  help  in  the  Name  of  God. 

^'O  Son  of  Man!  Withhold  not  from  my  servant 
in  whatsoever  he  may  ask  of  thee,  for  his  face  is  my 
Face,  and  thou  must  reverence  MeJ'     (A.  31.) 

When  any  member  of  the  body  is  ill,  all  the  other 
members  endeavor  to  restore  it  to  health,  because  all 
are  affected  by  its  illness.  So  the  health  of  humanity 
is  disturbed  by  the  ignorance,  weakness  and  sin  of  its 
members,  and  all  should  strive,  under  the  guidance 
of  the  Great  Physician,  to  heal  the  sicknesses  of  the 
world  as  they  appear  in  one  or  many  of  its  creatures. 
And  this  soul-healing,  this  overcoming  evil  with  good, 
is  to  be  done  by  encouraging  the  good  and  instilling 
the  precepts  of  spiritual  health. 

''O  Son  of  Man!  Breathe  not  the  sins  of  any  one 
as  long  as  thou  art  a  sinner.    If  thou  doest  contrary 


149 


to  this  command  thou  art  not  of  Me.     To  this  I  bear 
witness  J'      (A.  28.) 

^'O  Son  of  Existence!  Attribute  not  to  any  soul 
that  which  thou  desirest  not  to  be  attributed  to  thy- 
self."     (A.  30.) 

Fault  finding  and  unkind  criticism  are  not  service 
either  to  God  or  to  man.  It  is  our  own  deeds  that  we 
must  examine  and  criticise,  but  service  is  to  discover 
and  exalt  the  good  in  others  and  aid  them  in  their 
efforts  for  good. 

Today  the  great  exemplar  of  the  Bahai  Revelation 
is  Abdul-Baha\  the  Servant  of  God,  who  serves  all 
mankind  with  no  recompense  except  the  joy  of  obedi- 
ence. He  is  the  appointed  interpreter  of  the  ex- 
pressed Will  of  God  as  written  in  the  Scriptures.  He 
has  borne  exile  and  imprisonment  for  the  sake  of  the 
beloved  of  God.  He  is  no  respecter  of  persons  and 
serves  all  alike,  giving  to  the  poor  and  ignorant  what 
befits  their  need,  to  the  rich,  the  learned,  the  strong, 
that  which  benefits  them. 

He  commands  those,  who  seek  God's  Will  in  pref- 
erence to  their  own,  to  serve  their  enemies  as  their 
friends,  their  oppressors  as  brothers,  to  heal  the  sick, 
aid  the  weary,  strengthen  the  weak  and  help  the  af- 
flicted; to  be  faithful  and  trustworthy  in  all  condi- 
tions, patient  under  trial,  strong  in  adversity,  joyful  In 
suffering,  and  to  be  content  with  what  God  gives.  All 
this  Is  service,  the  using  of  the  talents  entrusted  to 


150 


us  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  and  the  upholding  of 
the  banner  of  righteousness. 

Not  the  least  service  is  that  of  example,  and, 
though  a  man  open  not  his  mouth,  he  serves  greatly 
the  Cause  of  God  and  the  uplifting  of  humanity  by 
simply  living  as  God  asks  of  him.  No  one  is  so 
small  that  his  life  does  not  influence  others.  The  good 
character  of  that  influence  constitutes  service.  So 
this  means  of  oneness  with  God  is  open  to  every 
soul,  no  matter  how  poor  or  weak  he  may  be.  All 
souls  are  very  poor  and  helpless  who  do  not  try  to 
serve  in  some  way,  while  he  who  uses  the  little  he  has 
will  surely  grow  in  strength  and  capacity  to  receive 
more. 

Among  those  who  have  accepted  the  Bahai  Reve- 
lation in  the  Orient,  the  desire  to  serve  is  remarkable, 
so  much  so  that  the  name  Bahai  has  become  a  synonym 
for  trustworthiness  and  reliable  service.  The  natural 
desire  of  man  is  to  be  served,  but  the  Bahai  esteems 
ability  to  serve  others  as  a  blessing;  he  watches  for 
opportunity  and  seizes  upon  it  as  on  a  treasure.  No 
matter  how  small  or  insignificant  the  act,  he  serves 
with  such  gladness  and  constancy  that  it  has  become 
noteworthy  and  has  made  the  name  Bahai  honored. 

Furthermore,  this  service  breeds  courtesy  and  in- 
culcates love.  It  becomes  an  expression  of  love,  so 
that  the  Bahais  there  are  not  only  the  most  serving 
people  in  the  world,  but  also  the  most  courteous  and 
loving.    As  service  implies  consideration  of  the  de- 


151 


sires  of  others  and  the  relinquishment  of  one's  own, 
therein  are  the  elements  of  true  politeness,  of  affection, 
of  heaven  itself.  No  wonder  that  the  conditions  of 
the  millennium  are  already  visible  among  those  peo- 
ple, and  that  the  Bahai  Religion  is  called  a  new  Gar- 
den of  Paradise.     It  is  written: 

^^O  People  of  the  Delectable  Paradise!  Let  the 
people  of  certainty  know  that  a  new  Garden  has  ap- 
peared near  the  Paradise  in  the  Open  Court  of  Holi- 
ness, and  that  all  the  people  of  the  Heights  and  the 
temples  of  the  exalted  Heaven  are  around  it/' 
(P.  i8.) 

''O  People  of  My  Garden!  I  set  the  plant  of 
your  love  and  friendship  in  the  holy  Garden  of  Para- 
dise with  the  hand  of  Tenderness,  and  watered  it  with 
the  showers  of  Mercy.  The  time  for  its  fruitage  is 
at  hand  J'     (P.  34.) 

'^O  My  Servants!  Ye  are  the  trees  of  my  Garden; 
ye  must  bear  fresh  and  beautiful  fruits,  that  ye  and 
others  may  be  profited  by  themJ^      (P.  80.) 

The  life  of  Jesus  was  one  of  pure  servitude,  and 
of  example;  how  often  He  said  ^ToUow  Me.''  He 
gave  similar  lessons  of  service  in  many  commands 
and  parables,  such  as  those  of  the  Good  Samaritan, 
the  mote  and  beam,  the  division  of  the  sheep  and 
goats.  **Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  of 
these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  meJ*  He  said — and  it 
was  a  prophecy — ^^He  that  is  greatest  among  you 
shall  be  your  servant/'     (Matt.  23.11.)     The  serv- 


152 


ice  of  man  to  man,  especially  to  the  weak  and  help- 
less, has  been  the  command  of  God  in  all  ages,  and 
now  it  is  given  again  with  the  power  of  the  Word 
and  of  Example,  and  through  Abdul-Baha'  it  is  made 
the  Center  of  the  New  Covenant  of  God  with 
men  for  this  Age  of  Peace,  the  Millennium  of 
Consummation. 


153 


UNIVERSAL    LOVE. 

The  command  of  Unity  requires  the  cultivation  of 
Universal  Love  which  Is  the  love  of  God  expressed  In 
love  to  man.  All  love  is  given  to  man  to  teach  him 
the  value  of  love.  One  needs  but  to  calmly  consider 
human  love  to  learn  many  lessons  of  the  value  and 
meaning  of  love.  Love  teaches  sacrifice,  especially 
of  the  personal  will.  The  lover  always  seeks  to  learn 
the  wish  or  will  of  the  beloved,  and  then  to  make 
his  own  will  serve  that  will.  This  law  runs  all 
through  the  degrees  of  love,  from  lowest  to  highest. 

The  manifestation  or  proof  of  love  is  giving,  or 
sacrifice  of  self.  Self-love  Is  hatred;  It  hates  all  that 
does  not  conduce  or  give  to  it.  Love  means  giving, 
and  he  who  gives  most  receives  most.  God,  the 
Generous,  the  Giver,  Is  Love  Itself.  He  gives  all 
that  is  in  existence.  Everything  that  man  has  is  a 
free  gift,  his  power  to  think,  to  know,  to  live,  to 
work,  to  enjoy,  to  be,  is  all  the  pure  gift  of  God. 
What  can  he  offer  in  payment?  That  which  he  re- 
ceives is  from  above  himself,  utterly  out  of  his  abil- 
ity to  create ;  it  is  from  the  heavens,  while  all  that  he 
could  offer  in  return  would  be  simply  dust. 

If  love  means  giving,  it  may  be  asked,  how  can 
man  love  God  if  there  is  nothing  he  can  give  him? 

God  has  provided  for  this  by  endowing  man  with 


154 


the  consciousness  of  Individuality,  independence  and 
will,  and  then  he  asks  man  to  give  up  all  these  great 
powers  for  love  of  him.  He  says,  '^Son,  give  me 
thine  heart,"  which  is  asking  him  for  his  life.  This 
is  the  great  lesson  of  the  cross.  Christ  taught  man 
that  Oneness  with  God  meant  utter  loss  of  the  human 
life.  '^He  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find 
it,"  for  God  gives  to  this  brave  loser  another  life 
which  fadeth  not  away,  an  Eternal  Life. 

If,  through  obedience  to  the  commands  of  God, 
he  becomes  able  to  taste  one  drop  of  the  Love  of  God 
in  his  being,  he  becomes  evanescent  in  that  melting 
Love;  he  gives  all  that  he  has,  is,  or  hopes  to  be, 
gives  himself  without  a  thought  of  reward.  This 
giving  is  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  God  as  ex- 
pressed through  Baha^o^llah  :  '^O  Son  of  Human- 
ity/ If  thou  loves t  Ale,  turn  away  from  thyself;  if 
My  Will  thou  seekest,  regard  not  thine  own,  that 
thou  mayest  die  in  Me,  and  I  live  in  theeJ' 

Particular  love,  or  especial  love  for  an  individual 
is  not  universal  love,  which  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 
As  the  town  is  greater  than  the  citizen,  the  State  of 
more  importance  than  the  town,  the  Country  than 
the  State,  and  mankind  more  than  all;  so  the  love  of 
mankind  is  immeasurably  above  affection  for  one  per- 
son or  an  immediate  circle  of  friends.  The  love  of 
the  individual  has,  at  its  best,  elements  of  selfishness 
in  it.  It  seeks  a  response,  or  it  may  be  only  a  pleas- 
urable emotion  caused  by  interest  or  nearness,  but  the 


155 


love  of  mankind  is  an  affection  for  the  welfare  and 
highest  good  of  each  one  and  of  all,  recognizing  that 
all  are  children  of  one  Father  and  brothers  of  one 
family.  It  may  cause  but  little  emotion,  but  it  de- 
mands service.  Each  member  of  humanity  becomes 
a  type  of  the  whole,  and  love,  that  is,  service,  goes  out 
unsparingly  to  all  without  regard  to  kinship  or  recom- 
pense. If  there  be  any  preference,  it  is  for  the  poor, 
the  needy,  the  helpless,  because  the  essence  of  love 
is  to  exalt  the  low  and  feed  the  hungry. 

BahaVllah  has  said  the  most  exalted  word  for 
harmony  and  love  is :  *^All  are  from  God,  This  ex- 
alted word  is  like  unto  water  quenching  the  fire  of 
animosity  and  rancor  hidden  and  deposited  within 
hearts  and  breasts.  Different  religions  will  attain  to 
the  light  of  real  union  through  this  single  word.  Ver- 
ily,  He  saith  the  truth  and  guideth  to  the  Path!^  If 
one  sees  a  poor  creature  who  is  repulsive,  and  he  per- 
mits that  word,  '^All  are  from  GodT  to  enter  his 
mind,  the  heart  will  soon  respond  and  repulsion  will 
be  overcome  in  the  longing  to  help  that  poor  one,  to 
lift  him  up  from  his  degradation  to  a  perception  of 
his  divine  birthright. 

Abdul-Baha',  the  true  servant  of  God,  manifests 
this  universal  love  in  every  word  and  act.  Humanity, 
mankind,  all  of  them  are  his  beloved.  He,  of  all 
men,  can  understand  the  lament  of  Christ:  '*0  Je- 
rusalem, Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets, 
and  stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 


156 


would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and 
ye  would  not." 

Universal  love  is  true  humanity.  The  One  Uni- 
versal Lover  is  God,  and  as  man  approaches  him,  he 
becomes  a  reflector  of  that  love,  and  becomes  a  lover 
of  mankind.  The  Word  Incarnate,  the  Glory  of 
God,  Baha'o'llah,  said:  *^Glory  is  not  to  him  who 
loves  his  country,  but  to  him  who  loves  his  kindJ' 
The  first  is  man-like;  the  last  is  God-like. 


157 


THE   BAHAI   REVELATION   IS   NEEDED. 

Is  there  any  religion  of  the  past  that  the  whole 
world  win  accept?  After  3400  years  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  1900  years  of  Christianity,  and  1300  years  of 
Mohammedanism,  It  Is  as  difficult  to  Christianize  the 
world  as  to  Moslemize  It.  If  there  were  no  further 
light  than  that  which  shines  from  the  ordinary  Chris- 
tianity of  today,  how  long  will  It  require  to  bring  the 
Mohammedan  races  alone  to  accept  Its  teaching  ?  In- 
deed, Mohammedanism  Is  making  more  rapid  strides 
among  Ignorant  peoples  than  Christianity,  but  neither 
of  them  are  affecting  the  other.  Judaism,  Buddhism, 
Brahmanism,  Zoroastrlanism  are  standing  like  great 
walls,  impervious  to  outside  attacks,  though  all  show- 
ing signs  of  corruption  and  decadence  within  them- 
selves. Why  Is  It  that  the  Christian  Word  of  God 
has  not  been  accepted  by  all  these  peoples?  A  bit  of 
history  may  give  light  on  the  matter. 

In  1820,  Rammohun  Roy,  the  great  Indian  re- 
former and  founder  of  the  Brahmo  Soma],  a  man 
of  high  and  noble  character,  was  so  charmed  with  the 
teachings  of  Jesus  that  he  published  extracts  from 
them  under  the  title  *Trecepts  of  Jesus."  Although 
born  and  trained  a  Brahman,  he  perceived  clearly  the 
awful  practices  that  had  been  engrafted  by  the  priests 
upon  the  original  teachings,  and  he  strove  to  find  for 


158 


himself  the  pure  truths  of  Religion.  In  his  preface 
to  the  *Trecepts  of  Jesus,"  he  stated  his  belief  and 
hope  that  those  simple  and  clear  expressions  of  moral 
laws  would  have  effect  in  uplifting  his  people,  because 
they  seemed  to  him  the  best  expressions  to  be  found 
in  any  religion  of  that  which  conduced  to  the  real 
welfare  of  man,  and  because  he  thought  that  they 
could  not  be  made  a  ground  for  metaphysical  criticism 
or  dispute.  He  made  no  references  to  the  recorded 
miracles  of  Jesus,  because,  as  he  said,  the  Indian 
mind  was  already  **sodden  with  miracles"  and  could 
not  be  further  affected  by  any  relation  of  them. 

This  unique  opportunity  for  the  introduction  of  the 
teachings  of  Christ  among  the  Brahmans  was  how- 
ever rendered  practically  useless  by  the  immediate 
and  strong  opposition  of  the  Christian  missionaries 
then  in  India.  Because  he  laid  stress  only  upon  the 
teachings  of  Jesus  as  appHcable  to  life,  and  not  upon 
the  doctrines  of  the  blood  atonement  and  the  miracles, 
he  was  set  upon,  denounced  and  ridiculed  by  the 
Christians,  much  to  the  delight  of  the  Brahman  priest- 
hood. 

Later  he  succeeded  in  forming  a  sort  of  literary 
partnership  with  two  Christian  missionaries  for  the 
purpose  of  translating  the  Gospels  into  Bengali  for 
native  use,  but  when  they  came  to  the  third  verse  of 
the  1st  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John,  and  Ram- 
mohun  Roy  desired  to  translate  the  Greek  word  ^*dia" 
to  the  Bengali  word  meaning  **through,"  both  of 
the  gentlemen  refused  to  translate  It  except  as  In  the 


159 


old  English  Translation,  ''by/'  and  one  of  them  re- 
fused to  assist  further  in  that  glorious  work.  The 
original  meaning  of  the  phrase  is — ''through  whom 
all  things  were  made."  It  is  such  insistance  upon 
partisan  interpretations,  upon  dogmas  and  doctrines, 
rather  than  upon  the  life-helping  power  of  the  Word, 
that  inspires  ridicule  and  rejection  by  those  who  are 
called  "heathen." 

It  is  written:  ^^The  faith  of  God  and  religion  of 
God  hath  been  revealed  and  manifested  from  the 
heaven  of  the  Will  of  the  King  of  Pre-existence  only 
for  the  union  and  concord  of  the  dwellers  upon  earth; 
make  it  not  a  cause  of  discord  and  dissension/' 
(Baha'o'llah.) 

Through  the  ages  religion  has  been  made  a  cause 
of  discord  and  dissension.  The  different  religious 
teachings  have  separated  the  peoples  more  than  dif- 
ferences in  climate,  country  or  race;  and  the  same 
thing  in  each  religion  has  been  the  cause  of  the  divi- 
sion, viz:  the  idea  held  by  each  nation  that  its  re- 
ligion was  the  only  one  authorized  by  God,  and  the 
conception  growing  out  of  that  idea,  that  it  was  the 
one  people  especially  chosen  by  God  to  be  his  favor- 
ite. He  was  ever  deemed  to  be  decidedly  a  "respecter 
of  persons."  This  same  idea  reached  down  from  the 
great  religion  to  its  several  sects,  between  whom  the 
bitterness  was  most  severe.  The  Mohammedan  Sun- 
nites  and  Shiites,  the  Christian  Catholics  and  Pro- 
testants, hated  each  other  cordially.    Even  now  a  con- 


i6o 


vocation  of  Christian  Clergy,  looking  toward  a  union 
of  sects  for  service  to  humanity,  refuses  to  acknow- 
ledge Unitarians  or  Universalists  as  their  brothers  in 
association  and  service.  Adherence  to  their  self- 
chosen  interpretations  and  opinions  is  of  more  value 
than  the  union  of  all  possible  earnest  and  noble  work- 
ers for  the  uplifting  of  humanity.  But  a  few  years 
ago,  within  our  memories,  each  sect  of  Christians 
claimed  to  control  the  only  infallible  path  to  heaven- 
ly safety.  They  considered  each  other  one  to  be  at 
least  doubtful,  if  not  indeed  the  very  broad  road  to 
destruction.  The  Protestant  still  protests,  while  the 
adherent  to  Rome  acknowledges  no  Christians  except 
the  children  of  that  Church. 

It  is  only  when  coming  into  light  that  we  are  able 
to  recognize  the  darkness,  and  now,  in  this  Day  of 
Light,  we  see  the  gloom  and  chains  of  the  spiritual 
prison  houses  in  which  mankind  has  been  dwelling. 
We  can  also  perceive  that  he  who  is  incarcerated, 
barred  in  by  walls  of  his  own  building,  cannot  extend 
the  hand  of  assistance  to  the  inmate  of  another  prison, 
nor  can  he  reasonably  expect  to  succeed  in  gathering 
others  from  their  places  of  confinement  into  his  own, 
or  inducing  them  to  break  their  bonds  to  put  on  his. 

But  when  the  Deliverer  appears,  the  Messenger  of 
God  to  open  the  prison  doors,  to  break  down  the 
walls  of  separation,  to  bring  light  into  their  darkness, 
to  lift  them  up  into  the  liberty  of  divine  manhood,  to 
establish  freedom,  peace,  harmony  and  love,  to  reveal 
heavenly  happiness  and  glory  as  the  birthright  of  man 


i6i 


and  to  make  this  earth  a  paradise  of  God,  who  that 
seeks  good  and  truth  can  refrain  from  looking  to  this 
glorious  Light  of  revelation  and  lifting  up  his  heart 
and  hands  in  praise  to  Almighty  God,  the  Father  of 
Generosity  and  Love! 

Does  the  world  need  such  an  awakening,  such  a 
Spiritual  Sun-rising  and  divine  introduction  to  peace  ? 
For  answer,  we  have  but  to  look  at  the  nations  of  the 
world  and  their  conditions  during  the  last  century 
and  now.  Peering  into  the  darkness  of  the  past  we 
perceive  that  all  peoples  have  been  dwelling  in  bond- 
age. Religion,  which  was  given  by  God  to  develop 
and  lift  man  up  to  that  high  estate  where  the  Truth 
should  make  him  free,  has  been  used  with  craft  and 
greed  to  shackle  his  soul.  With  the  great  masses  of 
mankind  that  captivity  still  exists,  but  we  see  here 
and  there,  in  many  directions,  efforts  for  freedom. 
The  conditions  of  the  past  no  longer  satisfy.  On 
every  hand  men  are  turning  from  their  former  teach- 
ers and  doctrines,  breaking  their  bonds  and  looking 
to  new  guides.  The  ground  of  dead  dogmas  is  being 
ploughed  deep  to  prepare  for  a  new  seed  sowing; 
the  clouds  of  man-made  doctrines  are  dispersing  be- 
fore the  dawn  of  Truth,  and  the  ranks  of  darkness 
are  breaking  before  the  armies  of  Light. 

Had  the  commands  of  God,  spoken  by  the  mouth 
of  our  Lord  Jesus,  been  obeyed,  there  would  have 
been  no  need  for  another  revelation  of  the  same  teach- 
ings, but,  as  soon  as  the  pure  seed  of  the  Word  sown 
by  him  (Matt.  13.27.)  began  to  spring  up,  tares  ap- 


162 


peared  with  it.  Men  interpreted  the  Words  of  God 
according  to  their  own  material  imaginations,  mingled 
pagan  philosophies  and  false  conceptions  with  the 
pure  teachings,  and  proclaimed  the  whole  as  divine 
doctrine.  This  was  easily  done  as  there  were  no  act- 
ual writings  of  Jesus  to  correct  them.  To  each  great 
teaching  was  added  a  material  interpretation  which 
gradually  robbed  it  of  its  spiritual  instruction  and 
changed  the  laws  of  freedom,  given  for  the  liberation 
of  God's  people  from  the  bonds  of  Jewish  and  Pagan 
theocrasies,  into  new  theological  prisons  for  the  souls 
of  men.     (2  Peter,  2.19.) 

And  so  the  wheat  and  tares  have  grown  up  to- 
gether, lest  the  wheat  be  also  rooted  up — ''until  the 
harvest" — ''the  end  of  the  world  (or  age),  when — 
**The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they 
shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend/^ 
'^Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  Who  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hearJ^  Were  it  not  for  the  tares  of 
false  doctrines  the  Word  of  God  would  have  con- 
quered the  world  centuries  ago.  The  world  is  bet- 
ter than  It  knows.  It  is  those  tares  which  it  refuses 
to  accept  and  which  hinder  the  great  nations  from 
receiving  the  truth  of  Jesus,  so  simply  and  beautifully 
declared  by  him.  And  now,  God's  loving  kindness  to 
his  creation  has  again  appeared  in  new  instruction 
and  command,  such  that  all  "wayfarers"  in  the  path 
of  God  may  not  err  therein. 

The  human  instrument  is  needed  for  the  revealing 


163 


of  his  Will  and  Guidance.  The  Infinite  God  does  not 
flame  forth  his  brightness  directly  to  finite  man  to 
blind  and  destroy  him,  but  tempers  it  to  man's  condi- 
tion. A  pure  instrument  is  needed,  one  that  is  self- 
less, strong  to  bear  all  indignities,  weak  in  self,  strong 
in  God.  A  Teacher  is  required  for  his  children. 
When  his  lessons  become  an  old  story  and  without 
effect  because  of  man's  adulteration,  Mercy  sends  a 
new  teacher  who  is  a  Mediator,  a  Lamp  to  convey 
and  express  as  much  of  the  divine  Light  as  can  be 
borne.  It  is  always  **darkest  before  dawn."  He 
comes  when  the  world  is  plunged  in  ignorance  and 
uncertainty,  and  brings  the  light  of  knowledge  and 
assurance,  that  mankind  may  be  saved  from  self- 
destruction.  Today  this  is  Baha'o'llah^  the  Glory 
of  God,  the  Bearer  of  Light. 


164 


THE  OBJECT  OF  THE  BAHAI  REVELATION  IS  UNITY. 

It  is  to  dispel  the  differences  between  religions,  to 
overcome  strife,  to  create  the  unity  of  mankind  in  the 
recognition  of  God's  Oneness  and  Singleness,  and  to 
bring  peace  among  all  peoples  and  men  as  members 
of  the  one  human  family  of  the  great  Father  and 
Creator  of  all. 

It  is  written :  *^0  people  of  the  world!  Ye  are  the 
fruit  of  one  tree  and  the  leaves  of  one  branch.  Walk 
with  perfect  charity,  concord,  affection  and  agree- 
ment, I  declare  by  the  Sun  of  Truth,  the  light  of 
agreement  shall  brighten  and  illumine  all  horizons." 
(BahaVllah.) 

We  know  that  each  great  religion  had  its  begin- 
ning in  one  source,  the  Word  of  God  revealed  by  his 
Messenger;  that  all  taught  the  same  truths  of  rever- 
ence and  love  to  God  and  justice  to  man.  We  find 
the  Golden  Rule  inculcated  in  each  religion  and  as 
early  as  5400  years  ago,  3500  years  before  the  time 
of  Christ.  Religion  is  one,  always  was  one;  its  pearl 
of  truth  was  Love  and  its  duties  the  qualities  of  love, 
but  man  changed  and  colored  it  to  suit  his  desires, 
changed  its  God-love  into  self  love,  its  divine  attain- 
ments to  earthly  ambitions.  He  set  up  an  interpre- 
tation of  his  own,  placed  a  ring  of  exclusion  about 

165 


it  and  made  it  a  fortress  of  offence  against  all  outside 
of  his  circle. 

Each  of  the  great  teachers  of  God  has  taught  that 
a  time  of  consummation  should  come  when  there 
would  be  a  great  and  universal  revelation,  when  all 
the  world  should  know  the  Word  of  God,  would 
worship  Him  and  dwell  together  in  peace;  but  each 
religious  nation  construed  that  to  mean  that  the  great 
** Coming"  would  be  through  the  return  of  its  own 
prophet  and  founder,  who  would  then  appear  with 
such  mighty  powers  and  angel  hosts  that  he  would 
force  all  nations  to  acknowledge  him  and  bow  be- 
fore the  rule  of  that  one  special  and  chosen  people. 
Alas  for  the  pride  and  vanity  of  man !  That  which 
he  hopes  is  impossible  and  contrary  to  the  essence  of 
God's  teaching.  The  prophecies  of  God  are  sure 
and  true,  but  man's  interpretation  of  them  is  from  his 
own  wish  and  ignorance. 

''Who  hath  declared  this  from  ancient  time?  Who 
hath  told  it  from  that  time?  Have  not  I  the  Lord.^ 
and  there  is  no  God  else  beside  me;  a  just  God  and  a 
Saviour;  there  is  none  beside  me.  Look  unto  me^  and 
be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth;  for  I  am  God, 
and  there  is  none  else,  I  have  sworn  by  myself,  the 
word  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteousness,  and 
shall  not  return,  that  unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow, 
every  tongue  shall  swear/*  ''In  the  Lord  shall  all 
the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory  J*  (Is. 
45-  21.) 


i66 


The  time  has  come.  That  great  revelation,  the 
Word,  has  gone  out  to  all  the  nations,  but  instead  of 
holding  up  to  the  gaze  of  the  world  one  religion  as 
perfect,  admirable  and  to  be  embraced,  it  declares 
every  religion  to  be  of  the  One  God,  all  pure  in  their 
origin,  one  in  their  essence,  and  that  each  has  gone 
astray  and  lost  much  of  its  truth  as  originally  revealed. 
It  points  all  men  back  to  the  teachings  of  their  own 
prophet  and  shows  the  oneness  of  those  instructions. 
It  calls  upon  all  mankind  to  thus  learn  the  primary 
doctrine  of  the  Oneness  of  God  the  Father,  the  One- 
ness of  his  Word,  the  oneness  of  his  Prophets,  the 
revealers  of  that  Word,  the  oneness  of  religion,  and 
the  oneness  of  the  human  race,  His  children.  The  ad- 
herents of  each  religion  of  the  past  have  demanded 
that  all  men  should  accept  it  or  be  lost.  This  revel- 
ation of  God's  Will  calls  upon  the  followers  of  each 
religion  to  acknowledge  the  divinity  and  truth  in 
the  others  and  for  all  to  unite  in  love,  peace  and  wor- 
ship of  the  One  God  and  Father  of  all. 

"O  Children  of  Men!  De  ye  know  why  We  have 
created  ye  from  one  clay?  That  no  one  should  glorify 
himself  over  the  other?  Be  ye  ever  mindful  of  how  ye 
were  created.  Since  We  created  ye  all  from  one  sub- 
stance, ye  must  be  as  one  soul,  walking  with  the  same 
feet,  eating  with  one  mouth  and  living  in  one  land, 
that  ye  may  manifest  with  your  being  and  by  your 
deeds  and  actions  the  signs  of  unity  and  the  spirit 
of  oneness  J'     (A.  64.) 


167 


^^O  Son  of  Man!  My  Oneness  is  my  design,  I 
have  designed  it  for  thee;  therefore  clothe  thyself  with 
it.  Thus  thou  mayest  be  a  star  of  my  Omnipresence 
forever,'*     (A.  65.) 

The  central  Bahai  teaching  is  the  Oneness  and 
Singleness  of  God,  the  Infinite  Entity  who  is  **above 
ascent  or  descent/*  and  who  ^^singly  and  alone,  abid- 
eth  in  His  Own  Place  which  is  holy  above  space  and 
time,  mention  and  utterance,  sign,  description  and 
definition,  height  and  depth,'* 

This  Unique  One  manifests  through  existence  his 
Oneness  which — ^^in  its  true  significance  means  that 
God  alone  should  be  realized  as  the  One  Power 
which  animates  and  dominates  all  things,  which  are 
but  manifestations  of  its  energy,"     (Baha^O^LLAH.) 

Thus  all  things  are  manifestations,  according  to 
their  degrees,  of  the  Oneness  of  God,  and  all  are  in 
unity,  harmony  and  perfection,  each  in  its  own  es- 
pecial kingdom  of  the  universe,  excepting  man,  who 
has  been  given  the  power  to  oppose  the  law  of  one- 
ness and  to  injure  himself  by  using  his  will  contrary 
to  the  Will  of  Oneness.  This  gift  enables  him  to 
ascend  or  descend  in  the  scale  of  being.  Were  it  not: 
for  this  free  ability,  he  could  never  ascend,  because 
that  signifies  a  change  of  condition  amounting  to  a 
re-creation,  and  it  depends  upon  his  compliance  with 
certain  laws.  It  is  a  growth  from  one  plane  of  ex- 
istence to  another.  To  attain  this  change,  new  facul- 
ties, new  powers  must  be  created  in  him,  and  he  can 


168 


be  fitted  to  receive  them  only  through  a  free  personal 
choice  and  personal  activity  in  compliance  with  in- 
structions given  by  God  through  his  revealed  Word. 
These  powers  and  this  elevation  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God  are  divine  gifts  coming  from  the  Love  and  Gen- 
erosity of  God,  but  they  will  not  be  forced  upon  him 
who  turns  his  back  upon  them. 

The  path  of  heedlessness  and  self-will  is  choked 
with  thorns  of  suffering,  loss,  degradation  and  death 
that  man  may  be  pricked  to  consciousness  and  desire 
for  better  things.  It  is  the  way  of  selfness,  separa- 
tion, disagreement  and  disunity.  The  path  of  ascent 
is  that  of  unity,  recognition  of  responsibility,  of  God's 
love,  power,  right,  justice,  mercy,  generosity,  im- 
manence. Oneness.  It  is  fragrant  with  flowers  of 
true  friendship,  love  and  peace,  and  it  leads  to  Eternal 
Life.  The  revelation  of  God's  Word  today  invites 
the  wanderers  and  prodigals  to  return  to  this  way  of 
Unity,  which  leads  to  their  Father's  House. 


169 


THE   BAHAI  REVELATION  MAKES  ALL  THINGS   NEW. 

^^Thou  sendest  forth  thy  spirit,  they  are  created; 

And  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the  earth. 
The  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  endure  forever!^ 

(Ps.  104.  30.) 

The  revealed  Word  of  God  is  his  creative  power. 
Through  it  were  all  things  made  that  were  made.  It 
creates  new  men,  renews  right  spirits  and  makes  clean 
hearts.  Its  first  command  uttered  to  the  chaos  of 
man's  restless,  indefinite,  uncentered  life,  is — **Let 
there  be  light!"  The  Word  is  that  Light  and  its  di- 
vine power  pierces  the  veils  of  selfness,  penetrates  the 
centers  of  being  and  kindles  a  flame  of  love,  which 
melts  away  the  barriers  of  separation  and  opens  the 
spirit  of  man  to  the  Spirit  of  God. 

*^0  Son  of  Light/  Forget  all  else  save  Me,  and 
he  comforted  by  My  Spirit,''     (A.  17.) 

^^O  My  Friend!  Thou  art  the  sun  of  the  heaven 
of  My  Holiness;  defile  not  thyself  with  the  eclipse  of 
the  world  J'     (P.  73.) 

'^O  Son  of  Man!  Lift  up  thy  heart  with  delight, 
that  thou  mayest  he  fitted  to  meet  Me  and  to  mirror 
forth  My  Beauty,''     (A.  37.) 

When  the  light  of  that  Holy  Spirit  shines  forth 
from  the  heart  of  man,  all  the  beasts  of  darkness. 


170 


the  doubt,  suspicion,  distrust,  unbelief,  fear  and  sad- 
ness flee  away,  and  assurance,  certainty,  trust,  con- 
fidence, joy  and  peace  take  possession  of  the  new-born 
creature,  the  new  created  son  of  God.  This  work  of 
creation  has  ever  been  the  purpose  of  the  divine  revel- 
ation from  the  beginning  of  the  world  of  mankind, 
in  each  beginning  of  a  new  Dispensation  of  God's 
Kingdom  on  earth,  and  in  the  beginning  of  each  hu- 
man soul's  redemption  from  ignorance  and  death  to 
knowledge,  love  and  life. 

This  revelation  of  God's  Will  brings  the  dawn  of 
a  new  day  of  Truth  to  disperse  the  night  of  error  and 
discontent.  Today  it  shines  forth  in  glorious  splendor, 
so  that  the  minds  and  hearts  of  all  people  are  awak- 
ening to  a  renewed  energy,  to  new  perceptions  and 
longings.  Nature,  under  this  wonderful  light,  is 
opening  her  long-locked  treasures  to  scientific  search 
and  giving  the  world  the  means  of  an  immense  pro- 
gression toward  better  conditions  of  life. 

It  is  a  day  of  wonderful  revealing.  The  whole 
earth  is  flooded  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit.  It  enters 
every  mind  that  has  reflective  power  and  radiates  in 
every  plane  of  being.  It  is  unfolding  new  things 
everywhere.  The  scientist  discovers  new  laws  and 
facts;  the  artist  beholds  new  beauties;  the  physician 
uses  new  methods ;  the  student  learns  new  lessons,  the 
philosopher  conceives  new  ideas;  the  aspirant  forms 
new  ideals.  Never  before  has  earth  witnessed  such 
a  disclosure  of  its  secrets.     In  this  clear  Spiritual  at- 


171 


mosphere  everything  reveals  the  laws  and  lessons  of 
God,  evidencing  that  *^One  Power  which  animates 
and  dominates  all  things,  which  are  but  manifestations 
of  its  energy!^ 

The  apex,  focus  and  center  of  all  this  manifestation 
is  the  Word  of  God  which,  in  this  Day  of  Light, 
shines  forth  as  the  '*Glory  of  God,"  Baha'o'llah, 
through  his  human  instrument.  His  Image,  Baha^- 
o'llah.  This  Word  is  the  messenger  of  his  instruc- 
tion, his  command  and  invitation  to  the  souls  of  men. 
It  is  the  brilliant  sun,  the  focal  dynamo  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  the  new  kn'owledges  of  men,  whether  ma- 
terial, mental,  moral,  ethical  or  spiritual,  are  around 
it  as  planets  about  their  sun.  They  are  all  parts  of  a 
new  created  heavenly  system,  the  **new  heaven  and 
earth,"  of  which  the  shining  Word  is  the  Center,  the 
Light-giver.  Man's  discoveries  are  his  perceptions 
of  truths  in  the  realms  of  existence,  which  become  vis- 
ible to  him  in  the  light  of  the  spirit,  while  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Word  of  God  is  the  Sun  of  Truth  itself 
shining  into  the  minds  and  hearts  and  creating  in 
them  the  powers  of  true  perception.  This  is  the  re- 
vealing of  God  to  men;  that,  the  seeking  of  men  for 
God. 

The  Sun  has  brought  the  New  Day.  Though 
many  earnest  workers  in  the  world  may  not  yet  see 
the  real  Sun  shining  in  the  new  heavens,  yet  they 
should  know  that  it  is  Day  because  the  Light  is  here. 
Even  those  who  ascribe  their  new  knowledges  and 


172 


progress  to  their  own  greatness  must  acknowledge 
that  their  success  was  Invisible  until  the  Light  shone 
forth.  The  new  things  were  hidden,  non-existent  to 
them  until  the  Sun  of  this  Manifestation  dawned  on 
the  Eastern  horizon.  The  eye  of  the  blind  cannot 
see  until  It  be  **opened/*  and  even  then  it  can  see  but 
dimly  until  there  be  Light.  He  said;  and  what  He 
said  Is  truth:  ^'The  root  of  ah  knowledge  is  the 
Knowledge  of  God;  Glory  be  to  Him!  And  this 
Knowledge  is  impossible  save  through  his  Manifesta- 
tionJ'  Let  us  lay  our  pride  and  self-praise  at  his  feet 
and  give  glory  to  God  for  all  that  we  have,  all  that 
we  are  or  shall  be. 

Unity,  wisdom,  peace,  justice,  mercy  and  love,  the 
elements  of  heaven  on  earth,  can  be  realized  only 
through  that  creative  power  which  makes  all  things 
new  by  re-creating  the  hearts  of  men.  All  agree- 
ments of  nations  cannot  bring  peace  until  they  be  made 
in  the  **fear  of  the  Lord,''  in  knowledge  of  his  Word 
and  obedience  to  his  Commands.  Naught  but  the 
changeless  power  of  that  Word  can  give  permanent 
welfare  to  man.  The  sooner  this  Is  recognized,  the 
sooner  shall  appear  the  millennial  **Heaven  on  earth." 
The  time  for  reception  of  this  heaven-bringing  knowl- 
edge has  come.  Old  doctrines  and  beliefs  are  being 
tested  In  the  courts  of  modern  judgment,  for  this  is 
the  Day  of  Judgment,  and  the  chaff  of  false  teach- 
ings Is  being  cast  Into  the  fires  of  ridicule  and  rejec- 
tion. On  the  one  side  are  scholarly  efforts  to  destroy 
both  wheat  and  tares  together  to  make  way  for  new 


173 


material  philosophies ;  on  the  other  are  anxious  hearts 
looking  for  the  Truth  of  the  Eternal  God  and  lifting 
their  eyes  to  the  hills  to  behold  the  coming  of  their 
Helper  and  their  Lord. 

There  must  be  decomposition  before  a  new  com- 
position. The  old  conditions  must  be  disrupted  and 
dissolved  before  the  new  can  be  established,  and  so 
the  world  is  in  a  tumult  of  unrest.  It  is  only  the 
process  of  preparation,  the  cyclone  which  purifies  the 
air,  and  out  of  its  struggles  and  uncertainties  shall 
come  the  peace  of  nations,  and  to  the  individual 
hearts  the  *Teace  that  passeth  understanding.'' 
Through  all  the  storm  and  stress  the  Sun  of  God's 
Revealed  Word,  Baha^o^llah,  shines  steadily,  pierc- 
ing the  clouds.  Its  light  of  knowledge  and  heat  of 
love  shall  disperse  them  entirely  in  God's  good  time, 
and  all  the  world  shall  acknowledge  its  Creator  and 
declare:  ^^He  is  God,  and  there  is  no  God  but  HimF^ 
*^He  doeth  what  He  willeth  P^  Praise  be  to  His  Holy 
Name! 

**0  Son  of  Man!  Lift  up  thy  head  from  slumber, 
for  the  Sun  has  climbed  to  the  zenith,  that  He  may 
illumine  thee  with  the  Lights  of  Beauty J^     (A.  63.) 

^'O  Son  of  Man!  The  Light  hath  shone  upon  thee 
from  the  horizon  of  the  Mount,  and  the  Spirit  of 
Purity  hath  breathed  in  the  Sinai  of  thy  heart.  There- 
fore empty  thyself  of  doubts  and  fancies;  then  enter 
into  this  Mansion  that  thou  mayest  be  prepared  for 
the  Eternal  Life  and  ready  to  meet  Me.  Herein 
there  is  no  death,  no  trouble  nor  burden  J*    (A.  64.) 


174 


THE  REVELATION  IS  COMPLETE  IN  ITSELF. 

Were  all  the  books  of  former  days  lost  and  for- 
gotten, the  whole  of  true  religious  teaching  would 
be  found  In  the  Words  of  the  Bahai  Revelation. 
It  contains  all  that  Is  needed  for  Instruction  and 
highest  attainment,  the  salvation  of  all  races  and 
peoples.  The  essence  of  all  sacred  teaching  Is  ex- 
pressed In  It.  It  Is  the  renaissance  of  all  religions, 
and  for  the  true  believers  In  each  religion.  Each  finds 
In  it  the  essence  and  culmination  of  Itself.  Each  ac- 
cepter recognizes  it  as  the  flower  and  beauty  of  his 
own  religion;  each  rejecter  denies  It  to  have  any  re- 
lation to  his  own.  The  Moslem  calls  it  Christianity; 
the  Christian  opposer  calls  It  Mohammedanism,  while 
those  of  every  religion  who  receive  It  call  every  man 
friend  and  brother.  The  first  of  Its  **HIdden  Words" 
is  as  follows: 

'^This  is  that  which  hath  descended  from  the  Source 
of  Majesty,  through  the  tongue  of  Power  and 
Strength  upon  the  prophets  of  the  past.  We  han^e 
taken  its  essences  and  clothed  them  with  the  garment 
of  brevity,  as  a  favor  to  the  beloved,  that  they  may 
fulfil  the  Covenant  of  God;  that  they  may  perform 
in  themselves  that  which  He  hath  entrusted  to  them 
and  attain  the  victory  by  virtue  of  devotion  in  the 
land  of  the  Spirit.'* 


175 


The  revelations  of  the  past  are  still  of  vital  value 
to  their  followers,  and  for  indentification  of  the  es- 
sential Oneness  of  God's  Word  in  all  times,  then  as 
now,  for  with  Him  **a  thousand  years  are  as  a  day." 
In  every  Scripture  is  sufficient  for  man's  salvation  if 
he  wills  for  it,  if  he  hungers  for  righteousness  and 
thirsts  for  the  waters  of  Life.  But  *^ darkness  has 
covered  the  earth  and  gross  darkness  the  people^^ 
and  but  little  faith  is  found  upon  earth.  Now  again 
— *Hhe  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a 
great  light;  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  shinedJ^  Again 
It  has  come  to  the  land  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtall, 
^^by  the  way  of  the  sed^ — ^^in  Galilee  of  the  nations!^ 
(Is.  9.  1-2:  Matt.  4.  14-16.) 

Since  the  time  of  the  Crusaders  the  shore  road, 
leading  from  Haifa  to  Acca  and  thence  on  to  Dam- 
ascus in  the  interior,  has  been  called  the  *Via  maris," 
the  "way  of  the  sea."  Whoever  has  gone  the  nine 
miles  from  Mt.  Carmel  to  Acca,  riding  in  the  surf 
along  the  Mediterranean  shore,  will  recognize  the  fit- 
ness of  that  name  '*the  way  of  the  sea."  By  that 
way  was  the  exile,  Baha^o'llah,  sent  to  his  long 
imprisonment  at  Acca.  God  made  the  wrath  of  man 
to  praise  him  and  to  accomplish  his  prophecies,  by 
sending  his  Light-bearer  to  that  land  which  he  had 
chosen  throughout  the  ages  for  affliction  and  for  the 
revealing  of  his  Glory. 

From  that  ''Greatest  Prison"  He  announced  the 
Word  of  God  with  such  power  that  it  passed  through 


176 


the  bars  of  stone,  through  the  walled  and  guarded 
fortress  to  distant  countries,  even  to  the  thrones  of 
kings.  It  penetrated  the  hearts  of  seekers  for  truth 
everywhere,  and  the  victory  it  proclaimed  from  the 
prison  room,  which  seemed  a  mockery  of  truth,  has 
resounded  from  the  lips  and  lives  of  the  redeemed 
in  many  lands.  No  wall,  no  guard,  no  prison  could 
prevent  that  Word  or  hinder  its  effect.  Today  It  is 
going  on  from  victory  to  victory,  while  all  the  powers 
of  nature  and  devices  of  men  are  working  together 
in  the  hand  of  God  to  establish  the  new  heavens  and 
the  new  earth,  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  universal 
knowledge  of  God  and  that  *'Most  Great  Peace" 
which  He  has  declared  must  accompany  his  King- 
dom on  earth. 

The  last  of  the  **Hidden  Words'*  proclaims  the 
completeness  of  this  Revelation: 

'7  testify y  O  Friends,  that  the  Bounty  has  become 
complete,  the  Evidence  is  accomplished,  the  Argument 
manifested,  and  the  reason  affirmed.  Now,  what  will 
your  endeavors  show  forth  from  the  degrees  of  de- 
votion? Thus  are  the  favors  perfected  unto  ye  and 
unto  all  who  are  in  the  Heavens  and  earths.  Praise 
be  unto  God,  the  Lord  of  all  mankindP^ 


177 


/ 


TABLET  FROM  ABDUL-BAHA\ 

**0  People!  The  doors  of  the  Kingdom  are 
opened;  the  Sun  of  Truth  is  shining  upon  the  world-, 
the  Fountains  of  Life  are  flowing;  the  Day-springs 
of  Mercy  have  appeared;  the  Greatest  and  Most 
Glorious  Light  is  now  manifest  to  illumine  the  hearts 
of  men !  Awake,  and  hear  the  Voice  of  God  calling 
from  all  parts  of  the  Supreme  World: 

*Come  unto  Me,  O  ye  children  of  men! 

*Come  unto  Me,  O  ye  who  are  thirsty,  and 
drink  of  this  Sweet  Water,  which  is  descending 
in  torrents  upon  all  parts  of  the  globe !' 

"Now  is  the  time !  Now  is  the  accepted  time !  Look 
ye  at  the  time  of  Christ.  Had  the  people  realized 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  speaking  to  them  through 
His  Divine  Mouth,  they  would  not  have  waited  three 
centuries  before  accepting  Him.  And  now,  is  it  meet 
for  you  that  you  are  sleeping  upon  the  beds  of  idle- 
ness and  neglect  while  the  Father  (declared)  of 
Christ  has  come  among  us  and  opened  the  Greatest 
Door  of  bounteous  gifts  and  divine  favors?  Let  us 
not  be  like  those  in  past  centuries,  who  were  deaf  to 
His  Call  and  blind  to  His  Beauty;  but  let  us  try  and 
open  our  eyes  that  we  may  see  Him,  and  open  our 

178 


cars  that  we  may  hear  Him,  and  cleanse  our  hearts 
that  He  may  come  in  and  abide  in  our  temples. 

**These  days  are  the  days  of  faith  and  deeds — not 
the  days  of  words  and  lip-service.  Let  us  arise  from 
the  sleep  of  negligence  and  realize  what  a  Great 
Feast  is  prepared  for  us;  first  eating  thereof  ourselves, 
then  giving  to  others  who  are  thirsting  for  the  Water 
of  Knowledge  and  hungering  for  the  Bread  of  Life! 
These  great  days  are  swiftly  passing,  and  once  gone 
they  can  never  be  recalled.  So,  while  the  rays  of  the 
Sun  are  still  shining  and  the  ^Center  of  the  Covenant 
of  God'  is  manifest,  let  us  go  forth  to  work;  for  after 
a  while  the  night  will  come  and  the  way  to  the  Vine- 
yard will  not  then  be  so  easy  to  find. 

**The  Light  of  Knowledge  hath  appeared,  before 
which  the  darkness  of  every  superstitious  fancy  shall 
be  annihilated.  The  hosts  of  the  Supreme  Concourse 
are  descending  to  assist  all  those  who  rise  up  to  serve 
their  Lord,  to  subdue  and  gain  the  victory  over  the 
city  of  the  hearts,  to  proclaim  the  Glad-tidings  of  the 
Coming  of  God,  and  to  unite  the  souls  of  His  crea- 
tures." 


179 


COMMUNE. 

'^O  God!  I  see  that  the  manifestations  of  Thy 
Providence  have  Indeed  attracted  me  and  the  pure 
wine  of  Thy  Utterance  hath  taken  possession  of  me 
from  all  directions  in  such  wise  that  I  could  not  see 
anything  save  that  which  makes  me  acknowledge  and 
remember  Thy  signs,  Thy  manifestations  and  Thy 
affairs. 

^'By  Thy  Glory,  every  glance  of  my  eye,  whenever 
directed  toward  Thy  heaven,  reminds  me  of  Thy 
greatness,  exaltation,  highness  and  superiority. 

^Whenever  I  look  to  the  earth,  it  makes  me  ac- 
quainted with  the  manifestations  of  Thy  might  and 
the  appearance  of  Thy  grace. 

*  Whenever  I  gaze  toward  the  sea.  It  speaks  of  Thy 
greatness,  might,  authority  and  loftiness. 

'^Whenever  I  turn  to  the  mountains,  they  show  me 
the  standards  of  Thy  victory  and  the  banners  of  Thy 
power. 

''By  Thy  Glory,  O  Thou,  in  whose  grasp  are  the 
reins  of  the  world  and  the  control  of  nations,  I  was 
overtaken  by  the  warmth  of  Thy  Love  and  the  exhila- 
ration of  the  wine  of  Thy  unity  to  such  an  extent 
that  made  me  hear  from  the  blowing  of  the  wind  Thy 
mention  and  praise;  from  the  murmuring  of  waters 


i8o 


Thy  qualifications  and  attributes,  and  from  the  rus- 
tling of  trees  the  mysteries  of  Thy  judgment,  which 
Thou  hast  deposited  In  Thy  kingdom. 

^'Praise  be  to  Thee,  O  God  of  Names  and  Creator 
of  Heaven!  Praise  be  to  Thee  for  that  by  reason  of 
which  Thou  hast  made  known  to  Thy  servants  Thy 
Day,  wherein  the  Stream  (Kawther)  of  Life  hath 
flowed  from  the  Finger  of  Thy  generosity  and  the 
Spring  of  Revelation  and  Unity  hath  become  mani- 
fest through  Thy  Manifestation  to  whomsoever  Is  In 
Thy  earth  and  heaven. 

*^0  God!  This  Is  a  day,  the  Light  of  which  Thou 
hast  made  holy  above  the  sun  and  Its  effulgence.  I 
testify  that  this  day  has  been  Illumined  by  the  Light 
of  Thy  Face  and  by  the  Effulgence  of  the  dawning 
lights  of  Thy  Manifestation.  This  Is  a  day  where- 
in every  despondent  one  hath  clad  himself  with  the 
mantle  of  hope,  every  sick  one  adorned  himself  with 
the  garments  of  healing,  and  every  poor  one  came 
nigh  to  the  Sea  of  Richness.  Praise  be  to  Thee,  O 
Desired  of  the  world!  Praise  be  to  Thee,  O  be- 
loved of  the  hearts  of  the  yearning!'' 

(Baha'o'llah.) 


i8i 


l^--^mc.-mi^^^u^^<^^am^- 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

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